A Lord's Choice
by sayuri-girl
Summary: He has a choice to make so that the Gods and Goddesses will not punish him for his reckless behaviour. This choice will change his entire life. She has a fate to fulfill. But will she follow the Kamis' wish, or will she defy them?
1. Prologue

_**AN. : Hello there. Well this is my first Inuyasha story so please tell me what you think of it … that is if you think something of it ;) **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters.**_

In the heights of Heaven, the Gods and Goddesses were restless. At this particular moment they were gathered in the thrones' room, a circular chamber, with high ceilings, and huge windows. It was built at the utmost high level in Heaven so that the inhabitants could watch over the entire realm.

The thrones were arranged in a circle, which had in its middle a small pool. This was not an ordinary pool; this was actually the connection between the sacred ones and the humans down on Earth. All the thrones were occupied but one.

'Where is the God of Love? Didn't he know we were to meet today and make a decision upon the fate of our utmost urgent problem?' the Goddess of Choice asked.

'Nobody knows where he is. He is not in his quarters nor is he anywhere in our beloved realm. I guess he disappeared again amongst the humans.' the God of Reason answered.

'He will come back after we deal with the more pressing matter we have in our hands.' the Goddess of Foretelling announced.

At her words, everyone's eyes snapped on the pool and the image of a certain 'problem' appeared.

'He is fighting again. He is justified in this battle, but it will end up with many deaths, innocent amongst the guilty will lose their lives.' the God of Justice proclaimed.

'We have to do something to stop him. If he continues like this he will sentence his own soul into the deepest depths of Hell, needless to say that he will kill too many.' the God of Reason came forth.

'That is an excellent warrior and the battle is justified. Besides it is not a fair one. The opponents are ten and he is only one.' the God of War reasoned.

They all stopped talking and watched the battle. When it ended, other ten souls were sent to the afterlife, only this time they were sent in the pits of Hell.

'We have to admit that he is a good lord for his lands and he helps his people, being they youkai or ningens. He assures all of them have food and he protects them all.' the God of Reason added.

'But he has no mate. He has no feelings. He needs to feel what love is and that will change him.' the Goddess of Choice said.

'Let's play him a trick, shall we?' the God of Mischief suggested.

Everyone's eyes turned on him in disbelief. They couldn't do this. They were kamis, not a bunch of five-year-olds. On second thought …

'I will offer him two choices. He will have to fulfill one of them.' the Goddess of Choice added after a few minutes of silence.

'If he does not, he will suffer the wrath of the kamis in its utmost high level. His punishment will be as severe as his actions demand.' the goddess of Punishment added.

_**AN. : I know this is short but the thing is that I needed to put this on, so that the story could unfold normally. And it has not much information about the choice because those will come at the precise moment ;)**_

**_Ja ne._**


	2. Choice

**_AN. : So chapter 1 is up now. Hope you guys like it._**

'conversation'

_'thoughts'_

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. _**

A majestic presence was standing on a solitary rock, at the very border of the Western Lands. His silver hair, that reached his waist, was gently floating around him in a personification of his powers. His skin was as pale as the moonlight, reflected in his golden eyes in a mysterious game of power and determination. His cheeks showed his belonging to a powerful demon family: two magenta colored stripes on each of them, and his forehead held the marking of the royal family of the West, a crescent moon having the same color as the stripes.

He was dressed completely in white, his haori and his sash being the only two parts of his attire that had some color in. The haori had, on the lower part, the design of a giant White Dog under a sakura tree, cherry blossoms falling around it on the ground, dancing in the wind. The sash, which held his two swords, the Tenseiga and the Tokijin, was a combination of dark blue and molten gold. His left sleeve was floating next to his body, a remembrance of his futile attempt against his father's desire and of his failure.

He had extended his senses and powers so he could sense every approaching presence. He was protecting his lands. His presence could be easily compared with a rock in the middle of an ocean – alone in the middle of the dangers of life with no one to love or to love him back.

He was thinking about the latest occurrences and he was not thrilled with one in particular: the visit from the Goddess of Choice.

_**(FLASHBACK)**_

_I was extending my powers at the very western border of my lands when I sensed it. A very powerful being, umpteenth powerful than even me, was approaching me. I held my ground, waiting for it to show itself. I was not disappointing when mere moments later she came into view. She didn't even have to tell me who she was, the marking on her forehead making it clear. The Goddess of Choice, with a balance as a marking, was floating in front of me._

'_Lord Sesshoumaru' she said in a low whisper. _

'_Goddess' I acknowledged her._

'_I am the Goddess of Choice and I was sent to speak to you by the other Gods and Goddesses.' _

_I didn't say anything. I was waiting for her to tell me why she had come._

'_Due to the killings and fights you have involved yourself in, us, the Kamis, have decided to punish you. However, we have also decided to give you one last chance. You are to choose from two options: you either choose to help a couple fall in love, or you find a mate to love and to be loved by. Both way, you will find out what love is and you will start feeling. If you do not accept to do as we decided, your life as a demon will end and you will be transformed into a human, a life as a ningen being the perfect punishment for you. If this happens, your lands will be taken over by worthless youkai and divided. A war will start and more humans and demons will die.'_

'_How come you offer me the chance of choosing myself?' I asked her, the gravity of her words barely sinking in my mind. _

'_Because you have proven yourself a very good lord for your lands and we are not blind to that. It is your choice. I will be waiting for your answer. Choose wisely, Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands.'_

_That being said she vanished into thin air, her words the only proof of her appearance in front of me. _

_**(END OF FLASHBACK)**_

As he was pondering upon the Goddess' words, Sesshoumaru caught a whim of a familiar scent. It was Naraku's miasma.

'_Is he trying to allure this Sesshoumaru into a trap again? Or is it that my worthless excuse of a half brother finally found him?' _Sesshoumaru thought.

Deciding he should check if it wasn't really the latter that broke Naraku's barrier, Sesshoumaru turned around and followed the half-breed's stench.

**_AN. : Thanks for your reviews. I really am very happy that someone likes this story. _**


	3. Decision

**_AN. : Hy everyone. Thank you for reading my story. Well, this is the second chapter. And as you can see it is way longer than the previous ones. I only hope you have the patience to read it ;)_**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters.**_

Kagome was lying in the middle of the battlefield, badly wounded. Her body was ravished; she had deep cuts all over her hands, legs and back. Her cloths were torn apart. A deep wound could be seen a few centimeters above her heart, where one of Naraku's many tentacles hit her in an attempt of killing her. Her breath was shallow due to this and she was on the border between life and death. She was lying on her back, right hand clutched around a broken bow and left hand holding a small black jewel. It was the tainted Shikon no Tama, the evil and malice in Narau's heart still lingering in the sacred jewel.

Sango and Miroku were lying somewhere on her left, both gravely wounded by the battle, but still alive. Inuyasha was somewhere on her right, gripping Tessaiga's hilt with his clawed hand. He was lying on his back, his red haori torn apart, his bare chest showing the multitude of gashes. He was no longer breathing. The last blow Naraku had been able to inflict on him, before Kagome had released her miko powers, was fatal. It sent him a few good meters flying, falling to the ground with a _thump_. Shippou and Kirara were the only ones unharmed, since Kagome asked the neko youkai to take the kitsune away from the battlefield and protect him.

That was the state in which Sesshoumaru found the battlefield. He came because he felt Naraku's aura, but he didn't expect to see this. The first one he saw when he entered the clearing was the young miko herself. She was glowing pink and he could feel her powers growing increasingly in an attempt of healing her. He approached her and he looked curiously at the woman who managed to kill Naraku, wondering how she could be that powerful even on the verge of death.

He saw the tainted jewel in her left hand and had the urge to cut it of and get rid of the Shikon by shattering it again. But to his surprise, the Shikon no Tama started glowing a pinkish light until it turned a bright pink shade. It meant it was pure again in the hands of the dieing girl. He saw her stir in her unconsciousness and he shifted his attention from the jewel to her figure.

She had black long tresses, sprawled around her head on the cold ground, damped with sweat and blood. Her skin was as white as snow, contrasting her locks in a divine way. Her face was small but perfectly carved, with full red lips, slightly parted in need of air. She had a lithe frame, with well shaped curves and long, thin legs. She looked heavenly, even though she was dieing, but to Sesshoumaru she was just a ningen, and a very young one too.

He turned his gaze towards his half brother and unsheathed Tenseiga in wonder if he could bring him back to life. He wasn't content with the idea, but he strongly believed that he didn't deserve to die by Naraku's hands. But to his surprise, the sword didn't pulse to life, neither could he see the soul takers.

Standing still in the middle of the battlefield, Tenseiga unsheathed, he caught the changes in the miko. Her breathing increased, becoming more rapid with each passing second, and her heartbeat became stronger with each intake of air. He could feel her powers gathering inside her, surfacing from time to time, trying to purify the Taiyoukai, but it seemed as if his father's fang was protecting him.

And then, out of nowhere, the faint pinkish shade she was emanating changed into a bright pink due to the increase of her powers, engulfing her entirely. Sesshoumaru came near her, taking care not to step too close so she would not purify him, curiously watching the transformations she went through. As if on cue to his moves, the incredible happened. Drawn by an unseen force, Tessaiga floated to her and upon reaching her fingers, Kagome's eyes snapped open. She touched the sword and it started pulsing to life in her hands. But so did Tenseiga. Sesshoumaru raised his sword and felt the immense amount of power emerge from it, its yellowish aura stretching towards the miko, engulfing her and the demon.

He could feel the two auras melting one into the other, the pink one, which was Kagome's miko aura, coming to his sword and enveloping it. Also, his yellow aura enveloped Tessaiga. The swords absorbed the auras that rimed them and started once again pulsing to life. Tessaiga transformed to its full capacity into Kagome's hands, as light as a feather, her miko powers and Tenseiga's healing ones pouring into it. The sword accepted her as its new owner. Sesshoumaru's fang grew in length, pulsing, its healing powers and the miko's ones pouring through the blade, accepting Sesshoumaru as its master. At that moment, they mingled resulting a bright white light, bonding the two swords together and demon to human.

Within seconds, the bright pure white aura flared around them, touching every wounded creature, healing every gash and cut and regenerating the destroyed clearing into the most wonderful and pure place in the whole Western Lands.

As unexpected as it started, it ended. The aura withdrew and faded, the two fangs returned to their former states and a sense of calmness engulfed both of them. Kagome's eyes locked with Sesshoumaru's, black endless pools, as deep as the moonless night, boring into golden hues, as bright as a sunny day, as if trying to see his very soul.

Trying to understand her, Sesshoumaru held her gaze. Only that Kagome, worn out from all the wounds she suffered and the excessive use of her power and body energy, fell unconscious. The Taiyoukai sensed her weakness and before she could reach the ground he was next to her, catching her in his only arm. The moment his fingers touched her skin, a wave of raw purifying energy rushed towards him, practically implementing itself in his left shoulder, right above his heart. He put Kagome gently on the ground, allowing his arm to grip his now hurting shoulder.

It felt as if quicksilver was traveling through his veins gathering itself in one point, at the junction of his shoulder with his inexistent arm. As the whole amount of energy reached the same point of his body, the pain increased tenfold and Sesshoumaru's eyes closed and he fell on his knees. As the time passed by, so the pain grew in intensity until it reached the point when the great Lord of the Western Lands felt unconscious. The moment this happened a pink barrier surrounded him and Kagome, protecting them from harm's way.

As the first rays of sun made their way towards the earth, Sesshoumaru stirred and opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. His left shoulder was still hurting but it was only a faint remain of the previous pain. As he sat on the ground, he felt the purifying energy gather in the same spot above his heart and next moment it rushed back towards the still unconscious miko, entering her body through the wound above her heart. Following the wave of raw power leave his body and enter the young girl's with his eyes, he saw that the gash was instantly healed and instead of a scar, a mark appeared on her skin. It was a tiny green droplet entrapped in a pink colored fire.

Curious as to what that could mean, Sesshoumaru took a closer look and saw it was not an ordinary marking. The tiny droplet was shining a deep green and it looked as if it was his own poison glowing on her skin. The pink colored fire was also alive and it seemed to be made of purifying energy, its flames playing on her skin around the droplet as if in the blowing of a gentle wind.

Upon this display of unordinary scenes, the demon lord narrowed his eyes. He raised his hand and gripped his left shoulder brushing his thumb over the spot the energy entered his body. As he was doing this, he felt something on his skin, as if a scar appeared. Only then he tore his eyes from the girl's odd marking and looked at his chest. There, above his heart, lied the same marking Kagome had. Only that his consisted of a small pink droplet entrapped in a deep green colored fire. Just as he was about to return his gaze on the miko, his attention was caught by something else: his long lost arm had been restored by her powers. Unfortunately, he was interrupted from his analyze upon his new arm by a voice:

'Good morning, Lord Sesshoumaru.' a deep masculine voice said.

He turned his head slightly to his right and saw two humans sitting by a fire, looking at him and Kagome. He knew them; they were part of the group that traveled with her and Inuyasha.

'What happened?' was his reply to Miroku's polite greeting.

'You and Kagome fell unconscious two days ago. We have been trying to get to you to see if everything was alright, but it seems that she has somehow developed the ability of putting up a barrier even in her sleep. And that barrier that surrounds you is very powerful. Practically, it didn't allow any of us entering, not Sango, who is only a human and has no powers, not myself, though I have holy powers as Kagome. The barrier rejected us, without doing any harm.'

Upon hearing this new information, Sesshoumaru stood and made his way to the barrier. He was sure he could break it and leave. He was concerned about Rin for letting her for too long alone with that worthless Jaken. Only that, when he tried to break it, the barrier rejected him and stood its ground. There was no way he would get out and leave until Kagome woke up and put the barrier down. He was trapped inside it.

'Lord Sesshoumaru, can you please tell us what happened after Naraku died? We were so badly injured we thought we would surely die. Yet something happened and we are completely healed, our energy restored to its fullest.' Miroku asked.

'You were healed by the miko's powers. She also restored my arm. We fell unconscious because of the amount of energy we spent, she with healing everyone and restoring my arm, I with the process of growing an arm.' the youkai said.

This being said, Sesshoumaru started thinking about the latest events. It seemed that he and the miko were now bonded through their swords and through their new markings. It still felt out of place to know that he and the human shared such a close bond; after all he was the Lord of the Western Lands. And to be in such a close proximity with her would deface his reputation.

'_**But she is very powerful**__. True, but she is a human and worse, a miko. __**She has restored your arm. She must be repaied for it and you know it. **__I will find a way to pay my debt. __**Why don't you take her with you at the castle? Maybe she will help you with the little situation you got yourself in with the Kamis. **__You mean to say __we__ got ourselves in. Although I do not see what we did wrong. __**Too many fights, too many killings, no mate, no feelings, do any of these sounds familiar?**__'_ At this point in his thoughts, Sesshoumaru let a low growl escape his lips. He was pissed off, he knew his demon side was right and he had to make a choice. _'Maybe I should take her with me. She will make a good protector for Rin. __**So you want to thank her by asking her to be Rin's protector? This is not what I was thinking. You should take her in consideration as a potential mate. **__This Sesshoumaru does not take a mere ningen miko in consideration as a potential mate.'_ And he emphasized his decision with another low growl.

As the first rays of the moon made their way through the night, Kagome started stirring and after only moments she opened her eyes. Her black hues blinked a couple of times, trying to accommodate to the new state of the outside world. When she was fully alert of her surroundings she felt the demon lord next to her, patiently sitting close by. _'Way too close if I may add. __**Fool, he is sitting this close because you have put up a barrier and it didn't allow him to exit until you were conscious too. Although if you ask me, it was a very good idea to do it.**__ I don't know how I did it. And I don't even remember putting it up. How am I going to let it down? __**…**__' _

Seeing that she has awaken and wanting to leave, Sesshoumaru said:

'Miko, I am in your debt.'

'Huh?'

'Do you remember not that you have restored this Sesshoumaru's arm?'

'I did that? I don't remember. But don't worry, you are not in my debt, after all it was kind of my fault Inuyasha cut it of.'

'True. Miko, it seems that our swords have formed a bond. Do you know how to spare?'

'I don't. I never tried. Inuyasha never taught me how to use a sword. I always used my bow.'

'In order for me to pay my debt, I will teach you how to spare. Is that fair enough for you miko?'

Kagome couldn't say anything. She was speechless. _'Did Sesshoumaru just offer to teach me how to spare? __**Yes he did. **__But that means I have to travel with him. __**So it seems. But I do not see anything wrong in that. **__He tried to kill me several times. __**And yet he didn't kill you. And he could've just killed you while you were unconscious. I say you should accept his offer. Besides, you can spend some time with that little girl who travels with him. **__Rin.'_

'Ummm … Sesshoumaru? If I accept your offering, will that mean I have to travel with you and leave my friends behind? Sango and Mirou, Shippou, Kirara and Inuyasha?' As she said his name, Kagome's eyes widened in pain. Memories of the battle came flooding her mind and one in particular brought her so much pain that tears sprang from her bottomless black eyes in an instant. 'Inuyasha. He is dead, isn't he?' she asked in a whisper.

'Yes, he is. This Sesshoumaru has tried to resurrect him but Tenseiga didn't obey.'

'You did what? You tried to bring him back?' Kagome said, all the time gasping for air in an attempt of smoothing her pain. 'But why? I thought you hated him.'

'Even if I did hate him, he didn't deserve to die by Naraku's hands. he answered.

Kagome was gasping uncontrollably now. She couldn't believe he said that.

'Miko, what answer do you give me?'

'I-I-I will accept it.' _'I guess Sango and Miroku will start their own family now. I could ask Sesshoumaru to allow me take Shippou with me so nothing else keeps me here. Inuyasha … how will I be able to move on? I loved you so much! Why did you have to leave me? At least you have found your peace, Inuyasha, or so I hope.'_

Sesshoumaru watched her facial expression change from hope to sadness and then to excruciating pain. He could guess that the last one was because of the death of his half-brother but he couldn't see the reason behind the other two emotions.

'Miko, do you plan on lowering your barrier so we could leave?'

'Huh? Ohhh … I am sorry.' In that instant a wave of embarrassment crossed her face and her scent spiked basked in the feeling. 'Umm, Sesshoumaru, do you think you could tell me how to put it down? I don't really know how.'

'Hn. Just touch it and it should go down.' was all he said to her.

Kagome was so thrilled she now had an answer that she abruptly rose from her sitting position. That was not a wise decision seeing that she just awakened from a two days sleep. As soon as she reached a standing position she felt dizziness taking control of her body and she felt herself falling into something hard. Said hard thing was Sesshoumaru's toned chest. Due to the barrier they were entrapped in, the demon was standing just a few inches behind her. Upon her collision with his chest, Sesshoumaru sneaked an arm around her waist to steady her. Their chests were pressed one against the other, Kagome's head being buried in his white haori.

'_**You move quickly. What happened with**__** "humans are below me" attitude? **__I do not know what you are talking about. __**Oh, you are playing dumb, are you not? You are embracing her, you twit. **__This Sesshoumaru is no twit. And I am not embracing a mere human. I am just helping her to steady herself. She was a fool to stand up that fast. __**Yeah yeah yeah … you may think what you want. I know the truth. **__Hn.'_

'_Is he holding me in his arms? No, this can't be true … he is only __stopping me from falling down. How stupid from my behalf to stand up that quickly. And you would've thought I learned my lesson about that during these four years since I started traveling around in this era. __**Grr … **__What?__** He is not only helping you. He is holding you too close. That is an embrace. He moves fast I must admit. **__What? Stop joking with this. Sesshoumaru will never care for a mere human. And I love Inuyasha. And I will always do. __**Newsflash Kagome … Inuyasha is dead. He died two days ago. You have to move on and start anew. And Sesshoumaru could help you with that.'**_

When Kagome decided she could stand by her own, she moved out of his arm, face madly blushing because of the embarrassment. She turned around once again and touched the barrier. As her fingertips brushed it, the barrier disappeared and they were able to move out.

Sango and Miroku were in front of the fire, watching the both of them interact. Upon seeing them embraced a mischievous grin spread on Miroku's face. He looked at Sango to see if she was thinking at the same thing and decided that her sparkling eyes were enough of an answer.

'Miko. We have to leave to find Rin and Jaken.'

At hearing him calling her "miko" again Kagome let out the most feral growl a human could muster. Sesshoumaru smelt her scent spiking with anger and he narrowed his eyes at her. She was quite an amusing person to be around. She could change her mood from one extreme to the other in a snap of your fingers.

'My name is Kagome. Not "miko", nor "wench". KA-GO-ME!' that being said she turned around towards Miroku and Sango and asked:

'Sango, where is Shippou? Did something happen to him?'

'He is well, Kagome. He went with Kirara to the stream to bring water in the camp.'

At her words, Kagome let out a breath she never knew she was holding.

'Sesshoumaru, I want to take my kit with me. I am the only one closest to a mother to him and I will not let him here.' she said, not even turning around to look the demon in his eyes.

'Very well. You may take the kitsune with you.'

At his words, she turned around to look him in the eyes. Her hues were sparkling with happiness and her scent changed again. Another thing that confused the youkai. _'She smells of newly blossomed sakura flowers when she is calm and when she sleeps. Yet when she is angry her scent changes in that of a fiery storm. When she is happy though she smells like magnolia blossoms. How strange. Her scent changes with each emotion. __**So you've finally noticed? I am glad you decided to put to work that oh so good nose of yours. **__Shut up.'_

'Are you serious?'

'Does it look like this Sesshoumaru is joking? I only speak the truth, miko.'

'Whatever, Sesshoumaru.'

'_Oh that infuriating demon. He just keeps __calling me "miko". How will he react if I call him "demon"? or better yet "dog demon"? __**Patience Kagome. He will learn your name in time. And he will use it. Be thankful he does not tell you "wench" like Inuyasha did all the time.**__' _At this point in her thoughts the grief for Inuyasha returned tenfold and she started crying again.

'Miroku-sama, Sango did you by any chance got to burry Inuyasha? I would like to say my goodbyes to him.'

'Of course Kagome-sama. I will take you.' Miroku said all too joyful.

'_He definitely has something in his mind. I wonder what. __**Well have you looked at yourself lately? Your clothes are torn apart. And Miroku is just a hentai. **__Eeep. I can't believe I didn't notice it before.'_ Looking at herself she instantly grabbed her torn blouse and tried to cover herself more with it but to no avail. Seeing her embarrassment and her futile attempts, Sesshoumaru took his haori off and hand it to her.

'Miko, cover yourself. It is indecent to walk around in that state of clothing.'

'Thank you.'

Kagome took his haori and immediately pulled it on. The silky material and the intricate design on it captured her attention immediately. And his scent. He smelled like a summer rain in a lush forest. _'Mmmm … he smells so good. __**He does, indeed. **__His scent calms me down. I wonder how that can be. __**Probably –**__'_

'Kagome, I will take you to Inuyasha's tomb.' Sango snapped her out of her thoughts.

'Thank you Sango.'

With that, both girls left the camp and into the forest. They did not have to walk for too long, for the grave was close to them, under an old and huge cherry tree.

'Inuyasha … why did you leave me? I love you Inuyasha. I wanted you to stay with me. I never thought I would see you dieing. I always thought I will die first, you being a half demon and I only a human. I will love you always Inuyasha, but I have to try moving on. I have many years ahead of me. I will never forget you.' With that being said she put her hands on the ground and started concentrating on her powers. When she released them a beautiful single madonna lily came into bud. It fed from her powers until it was one feet high and it blossomed. 'My gift for you, Inuyasha. Rest in peace my love.'

With those last words she started crying, tears falling on the perfect white flower, sprinkling it with pink powder where the droplets touched it. She took one last glance at it and left towards the camp, Sango holding her in her arms, soothing her as best as she could.

When they arrived back, Kagome was still sobbing softly, but upon seeing Shippou, her demeanor changed. She put a half hearted smile on her face and took him in her arms.

'Shippou … I am glad you are unharmed.'

'Kagome, please don't cry.'

'Miko, it is late. Come.'

'Shippou, we are leaving. Sesshoumaru has offered to help me and he allowed me to take you too, so we won't be separated again. Sango and Miroku-sama will want to start a family so we couldn't stay with them anyway. Sango, Miroku-sama I wish you to be happy together. Sayonara.' with that being said, she hugged them both and turned around to face the demon lord.

'Lead the way, Sesshoumaru.' As if that were the exact words he was waiting for, which was probably true, the great Taiyoukai of the West turned around and began his new journey, one that would change his life entirely.

**_AN. : I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. On sencond thought, I hope you enjoyed it even more than that ;)_**

**_Ja ne_**


	4. Discovery

**_AN. : Ohayo, minna. I am back again, this time with the third chapter of this story. Hope you enjoy it. I must tell you guys, this chapter was so troublesome ... I mean it did not get out as I wanted and I had to delete a good portion of it and rewrite it. But now it is done, so once again, enjoy._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters._**

Conscious … that was the only companion she had for the first hours of her traveling with Sesshoumaru. He didn't speak at all to her, or if he did it was only to tell her to either hurry up or to stop daydreaming and mind her steps. Shippou was fast asleep in her arms, so no chances she could talk with him either. And even if he didn't sleep, he wouldn't talk in fear of the demon's wrath.

Kagome lost track of the amount of time they have been walking, Sesshoumaru in front and she following him like a stray dog.

'_Well that is what I feel anyway. Ironical, huh? 'cause he is the real dog around here. __**You shouldn't think that way. **__Well, sue me. I am lost. I have no idea of what will happen to me or what future has in its store for me. I feel like I am turning into Sesshoumaru's servant following him wherever he wants to go. __**Why think like that? He never suggested you becoming his servant. On the contrary. If I remember correctly, he said he is in your debt.**__ Humph. Tell me, what will I do now that Naraku is dead? Now that my friends are free from his clutches and they want to start a family? Now that Inuyasha is dead? I should go home to my era. I never belonged here. I belong to the future. __**How about the little kit sleeping in your arms? Do you want to leave? Because if you do so, he will be motherless again. Are you able to do that to him?**__ Humph.'_

She was so absorbed in her argument with her conscious, she didn't notice Sesshoumaru stopping, so she did what everyone in her situation would do. She bumped into him, the force of the collision and her clumsiness sending her butt first to the ground.

'Miko, you need a bath.'

'Do you imply that I stink?' Kagome asked, her fury getting the best out of her. In an instant her aura flared and her scent changed from that of newly blossomed sakura flowers to that of a fiery storm.

'You are bloodied from the battle. You need to get it off yourself, or else the entire demon race will be after you.' Sesshoumaru said in a matter-of-factly tone.

'Oh … I-I-I-I …' she stuttered, her embarrassment getting the best out of her. Her face turned a deep shade of red and her aura immediately receded, her scent changing in that of a whipping tree in the rain.

'But I have no clothes.'

'Use my haori. And leave those indecent pieces of cloth you wear behind. Those are not to be worn by you anymore. Only your mate should see you wearing those outrageous garments you call clothes.'

'You-you-you dog! My clothes are common in my village. They are the uniform I have to wear in my school.' Kagome said with a scowl. She was getting angry again and she couldn't help it.

'Miko, there is a hot spring a hundred feet to your left. Hurry up. I need to check upon my companions.' was all Sesshoumaru added before going to a tree and sitting under it, leaning by its trunk.

Kagome turned around with a huff and started towards the spring. She was infuriated and she hoped that a hot bath would help her relax.

'_It always did. Only that now the Ice Prince won't let me stay as long as I need. __**He is worried for his ward. She has been alone for three days now only with that little imp. Would you not want to return to her as fast as you could if you were in his shoes? **__You are right. Rin is alone with Jaken. He can't protect her from other demons. He can do only so little. Maybe I can help Sesshoumaru protecting her while he teaches me to spare. __**Excellent idea. You should ask him. Something tells me he will be pleased to know she would be in good hands, protected by you. **__I really acted like a brat. __**You should apologize when you return. **__I should, shouldn't I? Maybe I will.'_

Debating with herself if she should apologize or not, she reached the spring. She went to the shore, put Shippou down and tried the water with her fingers. It was just the right temperature, not too cold but not too hot either. In an instant she woke up the kit and told him to take his clothes off so she could bath him. As a good mother, she was set to bath him first and then she could enjoy the spring also. After she bathed Shippou, she asked him to go to Sesshoumaru and stay with him so she could have some time alone for thinking. That way she was sure he would be safe. Since Naraku was killed, several low demons came out of their hiding and started attaching humans, so Kagome was now making sure her kit would be safe.

Meanwhile she and the kitsune were at the spring, Sesshoumaru was checking the area around them. He could sense some low youkai, but they were far and it didn't seem they were coming their way, so he needed not to worry for the naked ningen in the water. _**'Naked … mmm … I like your way of thinking. Why don't we go closer to have a look at her? **__This Sesshoumaru has no desire in seeing a naked ningen's body. She is only a mere mortal for me. __**And yet you have given her you haori. **__Because her kimono was all torn. __**Mmmm … that was a delicious sight. **__Shut up. That kimono she was wearing is improper attire for a female. Unless she is a cheap female. __**Kagome is everything but a cheap female. She is pure; she was never touched by a male in her life. **__Yet she dresses like one. __**You heard her. It is the attire requested in her school. **__Humans are not educated. There is no chance she is. __**Ahh … but you forget she is a miko. Mikos are educated. For them to accomplish their training as priestesses, they are educated in the art of writing, reading and some others. **__Humph.'_

Sesshoumaru was drawn back from his thinking by a presence coming towards him. It was the small kitsune. _'So she has sent him to me to be safe and she is all alone. __**She is in harm's way. **__There is no danger around.__** We should keep our senses on high alert, just in case.**__ So it seems.'_

Kagome was resting with her back leaning against a rock in the spring, her body and hair cleanse after several dives in the hot water. She was content with the tickling sensation the water droplets gave her when small waves crushed against her body. She was relaxed, her eyes closed and she was humming a tune.

A lowly rat demon smelled her and he was sneaking to her in an attempt of having a fun with her. Her scent was so enthralling to the demon that he was drawn to her in an instant, her purity not helping at all. She seemed to be oblivious to his presence, but kami knows how wrong he was.

In fact, Kagome was well conscious of the presence lurking on the shore across from her. She was enraged but she was trying to keep her anger under control so she won't give away her advantage. During the four years of traveling with Inuyasha and the gang, she learned that the Shikon shards attracted all sorts of demons, and she was thankful for the lesson. She always kept her senses open no matter how relaxed she was or who she was with. If only a few shards would attract so many demons, the complete jewel that lay dormant at her neck was going to bring her more problems.

She felt the presence shifting its body so she cracked open an eye as much as she needed to take a look at it and not to give away her awareness of it. It was a rat demon. It looked just like a normal rat only the size of a human. It was not in a humanoid form and she was wondering if the reason for that was its lust for her and for the Shikon or the simple fact that it was a lower demon and it simply did not have one.

She could see the red tainted eyes, basked in lust and desire for her body and she knew he will put up a little fight but that was no problem for her. The only problem was that she was naked and had no weapon near her.

When Kagome couldn't take the demon's stare anymore she straightened and opened her eyes, facing it. She was under the water almost entirely so her body was somehow protected from the prying eyes of the rat.

As he saw her move and look him in the eyes he couldn't miss the small marking from above her heart. It mesmerized him, but also frightened him. He had heard of this kind of markings and he knew their meaning, but never thought they were real. His entire life he thought they were only bedtime stories and never in his three centuries of life witnessed he such a miracle. Without even realizing he said out loud:

'That mark.' he gasped.

'What about the mark? Do you know anything about it?'

'_She does not know anything about it. I better not tell her about it. That mark will surely be the end of me.'_

Seeing that the pathetic excuse of the demon does not answer her, she let her anger loose and her aura flared to such an extent, it would have purified the demon to oblivion had he been sitting closer to her.

Sensing her miko powers, Sesshoumaru tensed. _'What could have angered her to such an extent to let her powers flare? Or is she in danger for some reason? __**I can sense another aura near her. Can you not sense it? I must admit it is very low, but it is there. She is in danger. We must hurry up and save her.**__'_ At this Sesshoumaru straightened and took leave in a blur to help the little miko. Seeing the rat demon staring at her with that lustful expression angered him to such an extent that his vision turned red. His beast was roaring inside him to protect the girl and kill the low youkai for the audacity of even turning its gaze towards her.

He made a lunge for the rat and in a blink of an eye his left hand was in the stranger's stomach, his claws imbedded in the flesh. With an utter expression of surprise on his face the rat youkai had merely said:

'That mark … So you are …' before he was purified to oblivion.

Sesshoumaru was stunned. His marking was itchy and he had an urge to just scratch it, but he being the stoic demon lord just ignored it. Why did the miko step in the fight? He had him, he couldn't escape his grasp. So why did the miko want to kill him herself.

'Miko. This Sesshoumaru needed no help from you. Why did you purify him?'

'I didn't. He was too far for me to do it. And besides, I need a weapon to channel my powers through; I can't just purify a demon like that. I could blast him but that would mean I would have surely hit you too.'

Kagome was speechless. '_What did just happen? And why did Sesshoumaru kill the demon? __**To protect you. He came because he felt your aura flaring and your anger fueled it so much that you powers increased tenfold.**__ But that demon was just going to tell me what he knew about my marking. And he killed him. And why does the marking all of a sudden itch?'_ At this point in her thoughts, Kagome's anger returned tenfold. The Taiyoukai killed the rat before he could tell her about the strange marking she had on her body. _'And disturbed me from my bath. I can't believe he came barging in like nothing happened. __**He came to help you. He was worried for you.**__'_

The demon lord sensed her distress and anger and was curious as to why the change so sudden.

'You! Why did you kill that rat demon?' Kagome spit the words with such a force and hatred, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed against his will.

'Because he was a danger for you.'

'I can take care of myself. I had everything under control before you came. And he was just about to tell me about the marking on my body just before you killed it.' At this point in her screaming, Kagome stood up straight, facing the Taiyoukai, the upper part of her body no longer under the water. As if on cue, Sesshoumaru's eyes left her face and started traveling down, taking in every inch of her soft skin. When he reached her chest, his gaze lingered for a while, looking at her curves, before they traveled upwards again towards her face.

When Kagome realized that she no longer was under the protection of the water and that Sesshoumaru was checking her up, she immediately turned around, diving herself in the hot water up to her chin, all the time blushing ten shades of red. Her scent immediately changed from that of a fiery storm to that of a whipping tree in the rain. She was embarrassed.

'Miko, why are you embarrassed of this Sesshoumaru. Your body holds no secrets for me.'

Bad choice of words. Kagome was now even more embarrassed and her face turned into a very interesting shade of red, not even daring to turn her gaze to the Taiyoukai. _'Ohh … where is the hole I could crawl in and stay there when I need it? And why does he not leave already so I can get out of the water and dress? __**He does not leave because he still wants to protect you.**__'_

'S-S-Sesshoumaru … Do you think you could, ummm, maybe leave or turn around so I can dress myself?' Kagome stuttered in a whisper, head low, looking in the depths of the stream. She was too embarrassed to look him in the eyes.

At her request, Sesshoumaru turned his back to her and said only:

'Hurry up, miko. I don't have the whole day for you to take a bath.'

'Well if you wouldn't have come and kill that demon, I would have been done a long time ago. And I would have known what this strange marking on my skin means.'

'Hn.' was his response. He was still thinking about who killed the rat. He couldn't feel another aura in the vicinity, so the three of them were the only ones at the stream at that point. _'Than who purified that youkai? And what did he say before he died? He said that I am something. But he had no time to continue. __**This is very interesting. Do you think that it was us who killed it?**__ Are you out of your mind? We are a demon; we can't just purify another demon. __**Well I have a theory. Do you think that maybe when she returned our hand she gave us some of her powers? And you gave her some of ours? The marking on our body and on hers are twins, the only thing different is their coloring. Could it be that the pink droplet on our chest means miko powers and the green one on hers means our poison? **__Hn. It is an interesting theory. This Sesshoumaru will find out if this is the case. __**Why didn't you tell her we have a marking like her on our body also?**__ Because she is just a ningen. __**Yet you were mad when you saw that demon giving her such a lustful look. Were you jealous? **__Never. This Sesshoumaru was barely protecting the human. She is now part of my pack. __**Whatever.**__'_

While Sesshoumaru was debating with his beast, they had been on the road for quite some time. Kagome was following him, the kitsune in her arms, fast asleep. It was getting dark and she couldn't see anymore so he decided to stop for the night.

'Miko, we will stop here for the night. Rest.'

Kagome didn't need to be told a second time. She laid on the cold ground, Shippou in her arms and tried to sleep. But the itch from her marking wouldn't give her peace. The Taiyoukai saw this and understood that their bond went very deep and frowned.

'Miko, why are you distressed?'

'The marking itches me since you killed that demon. And I feel strange, as if something other than blood flows within my veins.'

'Miko, extend your arms.'

Kagome did as she was requested and in the moonlight she saw something shine at the very tips of her fingers. Examining them closer, she couldn't stop the gasp escape her mouth. There, instead of her always broken or bitten to the flesh nails, stood a perfect set of claws, hard as the steel and as white as the ivory. They were the exact match of Sesshoumaru's, only hers were more delicate.

Sesshoumaru couldn't believe this has happened. _'Could it be that this happened because of the bond? Is it possible that our bond somehow gave us some of the other's powers? If it is true that means I have purifying powers and she has my poison in her claws.'_ This gave him another idea.

'Miko, concentrate on your claws and try to draw poison in their tips.'

Kagome looked at him confused. _'What does he mean by "draw poison in their tips"? I can't do that. I have no such ability. I only have purifying powers. __**Why don't you try it though? What can happen? By the way, nice set of claws you got there.**__'_ She looked at him again, but the only thing that graced his face was just a glare for she didn't do what he told her. With a shudder of her shoulders, she turned her attention to her hands and concentrated. At first nothing happened. That was when Sesshoumaru told her to concentrate on the 'something' flowing within her veins besides her blood and try to gather that substance into her claws. When she tried she couldn't believe her eyes: deep green droplets of poison appeared under her claws and dripped on the ground, instantly burning the grass in their path.

'What happened with me?' Kagome asked, frightened to see that not only she had claws but she actually drew poison in them.

'Miko, there is something I have to show you.' With that, Sesshoumaru undid his sash a little so he could move the undershirt he usually wore under the haori. When he moved it, Kagome's eyes widened in surprise. There, just above his heart, stood the twin marking of her own.

'Why didn't you tell me you had one too? How is this possible?'

'It happened when you restored my arm. Your energy rushed into my body and I fell unconscious because of the amount of pain. When I woke up, my hand had grown. Then I felt the purifying powers rush out of my body through the same point they entered, here just above my heart' he said, pointing to the marking 'and saw it rush back to your body, healing the gash you had from the battle. But instead of leaving a scar, the powers left you with that marking. And I guess that was when I got mine also. I believe that rush of raw power formed a bond between us and it gave us some of the other's powers. Therefore I have some miko powers from you and you have my poison and my claws. You should thank the gods for that, for my claws can pierce anything and as for my poison, there is nothing that can stand against it.'

'_Arrogant bastard. You can't keep yourself from bragging, can you? __**I must admit you are right with that. **__But if what he said is true, that means …'_

'So it was you that killed that rat. Now I understand some of the things he said about the marking. When he said that to you, he must've known there has to be a twin. Why didn't you tell me you had one too?'

'This Sesshoumaru has no reason to explain himself to a mere ningen.'

'Well, _this_ Kagome is entitled to an explanation and I deserve it. And my name is KAGOME! Do you want me to spell it letter by letter for you? Maybe then _that_ Sesshoumaru will use it.' She snapped, pissed off by the constant use of "miko" instead of her name.

Hearing her speaking to him with no respect enraged the stoic Taiyoukai to such an extent his eyes turned red. In an instant, he was next to the girl, hand gripping her neck, chocking her to death. To say Kagome was frightened at such a display of ferocity towards her would be an understatement. But this didn't last too long, for she raised her now clawed hands to his wrist and dig them into it drawing poison at the same time. Sesshoumaru was startled, which made him drop her. Not only she was not afraid of him, but she defied him by injecting him his own poison.

'_Pathetic human. If she thinks my own poison is going to hurt me she is mistaken. __**Feisty. I like her. She had the courage to stand her ground against you and defy you. She is courageous, powerful and now she has your poison flowing in her vines. **__I guess killing her slowly with it is out of the question now, isn't it?'_

'Miko, you will never defy this Sesshoumaru again if you do not want to pay the consequences.'

'I am not your servant to treat me like one, so stop threatening me.' Kagome said, giving him a very Sesshoumaru-like growl.

'You have to learn how to respect your superiors, girl. You would better start showing me the respect I deserve before I start punishing you.'

'I will show respect when I will receive respect. You are not worthy of me giving you my respect until you do not show some back. And I told you that I am not a lowly servant to be punished by you.' At her last words her aura flared so high, Sesshoumaru had to back down a step. She was so powerful he could taste the energy on the tip of his tongue. He could feel her power brimming, surfacing, waiting to be used.

'Oka-san'

In an instant, Kagome's power receded and she turned her gaze to the sleepy Shippou.

'What happened Shippou-chan? Did you have a nightmare?'

'I felt a very strong aura and I was frightened, oka-san.'

'Shh … nothing happened. There is nobody here to hurt you. I will protect you.'

'_**Such power. **__Yes, I must agree. She has so much raw power it can compete with this Sesshoumaru's. I will take a liking to train her in using it. __**Yes, indeed. Did you see the look on her face when she released her powers? Such a fierce look she gave us I felt the need to shudder. Such a perfect female. Very beautiful and powerful, with motherly instincts, she would be a very good mate. She is perfect for us. This is what we have been looking for our whole life. **__Hn.'_

'Miko rest. Tomorrow we will continue our journey.'

Kagome scoffed at his order-like sentence but laid down nonetheless. She was starting to feel drained from restraining her powers. And she still felt odd, as if something was changing in her body.

Little she knew …

**_AN. : I would like to thank you people for the reviews. And keep reading this story, I promise I will update as soon as I can._**

**_Ja ne._**


	5. Bond

**_AN. : Hy. I have finally found the time to write and upload the next chapter. Hope you like it_**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha not do I own the characters._**

When she woke up next morning she felt more tired than the previous night. She could barely stand up, and that not without getting dizzy. She could not walk, not talk. But she would try. She was not a person to give up that easily. So, leaning her entire weight on the tree she was currently sitting under, she tried to stand. Not without great effort, she managed it. Little she knew Sesshoumaru was watching her every move.

'Miko, what is the matter?'

'I can barely stand. I feel drained of all my energy.' With this being said, Kagome lost her balance and fell to the ground. But before she could touch it, Sesshoumaru caught her.

'Pup, climb on my shoulder.' he told Shippou. The kitsune was still afraid of the demon lord, but seeing his oka in such a state he didn't question him, so he hopped on the Taiyoukai's shoulder. Sesshoumaru then picked Kagome up bridal style and summoned his demonic cloud. He was set upon getting to his companions as fast as he could. He wanted to get the miko to his castle and to a healer as soon as possible.

'_What could have brought her in this state over night? __**Are you worried? I mean she is very powerful and beautiful, but as you said so many times, she is only a ningen. Is the great Taiyoukai of the West worried for a human female? **__She is part of our pack now. I am worried for my pack. __**Do you think it has something to do with the bond? **__This Sesshoumaru will find out. And there must be some books in the castle to tell us about this sort of bond.'_

While Sesshoumaru was deep in thought, Kagome fell into a deep sleep, curled up at the demon's chest. Her miko powers were flaring around her, trying to regain her body energy and renew it. Sesshoumaru was protected against her purifying energy thanks to their bond, but Shippou was not, so in order for the pup not to be purified, the demon lord had to put a barrier around him.

'_Kagome, little one, you have to rein your fear.'_

'_Who is there? Who are you?'_

'_I am Midoriko.'_

'_How can this happen? Where am I? Am I in the Shikon no Tama?'_

'_No, little one. You are merely sleeping so I took this opportunity to appear in front of you. Child, you have nothing to fear about. If you do not rein your fear, you will end up in purifying Shippou.'_

'_No. I can't do that. What is happening with me? I feel so exhausted. I cannot even stand or walk.'_

'_I cannot tell you too much, for it is your fate. I can only tell you this: you house a great amount of power within you. Lord Sesshoumaru also is very powerful, so the bond between you naturally is very powerful. Your body suffers changes to be able to house such great an amount of power and the bond between you.'_

'_What is this bond? Can you tell me about it?'_

'_There are three types of bonds. One of them is the blood bond, the other is the bond that occurs while mating and the third one is the bond you and the demon lord share. Through a blood bond, the two persons increase their powers and use them in ways they never knew was possible. Yes, they grow more powerful than before, but this bond is made only when full trust occurs between its shares. The mating bond allows the two mates to feel some of the other's feelings. It is like a spiritual bond, the two mates' feelings calling for each other. Since the moment a male and a female mate and they mark each other, they have the power to read the other's state of emotion. They will never be alone after such a bond occurs. While these two bonds are quite frequent, the third one is very rare. In fact, yours is the first one in centuries. It is so rare because it is the most powerful one. It needs total trust between the two parts, as the blood one, but it also requires for them to wield great amount of powers. But this bond gives each of the parts one of their greatest powers. That means that each part will have some of the powers the other has. It is like a switch of powers, only that you do not lose yours in favor for the other's. You can imagine why this bond occurs so rarely. There are few demons or humans with such amount of energy and power and they do not usually trust each other.'_

'_You mean that Sesshoumaru and I will always share this bond? Until the day I die?'_

'_Yes child. You have a destiny to complete. The Kamis have betrothed you a great fate. You have nothing to worry about, little one.'_

'_So now what happens to me? What will I change into? You said my body changes to be able to house the power within me and the one the bond gives me. And how come Sesshoumaru does not need to change?'_

'_I cannot tell you what changes will occur to you. Your body will keep changing until it would be sure the power will not tear you apart. In fact I am quite amazed you have managed to keep it under control until now and not change. As for Lord Sesshoumaru … he is a very powerful demon, child, his body is the perfect shelter for such power.'_

'_Midoriko … I wanted to ask you one question. What will happen with the Shikon no Tama?'_

'_You will remain its guardian. Only when someone will ask a selfless wish from it, my soul will find its peace and the jewel will be completely purified and disappear. Now child, I must go. Do not be afraid of the changes. And remember, the Kamis are with you.'_

With that, Kagome woke up from her deep sleep and opened her eyes. She found herself in the arms of the Taiyoukai, flying towards their destination. When realization set in her mind, she blushed the deepest shade of red. She was embarrassed to be in his arms, carried bridal style by the great Lord of the Western Lands.

'Miko, you are awake.' Sesshoumaru said.

'I am. And I now know what happens with me. And what our bound means. Would you care to know also?' she said in a tired voice. She was fighting her fatigue to answer him.

'Hn. How could you know more than this Sesshoumaru about it?' He could not tell her how eager he was to find out. He knew from her scent she was not lying.

'I have been visited in my sleep by Midoriko, the priestess that sealed herself in the jewel I wear now around my neck, with a hoard of demons in order to save the world. She has told me everything she could reveal about the bond.'

Sesshoumaru did not say anything. But he was listening intently.

'She said that our bond is the rarest one. You know about the blood bonds and the mating bonds, I am sure. She also told why the bond we share is so rare. Apparently, it only occurs between beings very powerful and trustful with each other. She added that we also share some of the other's powers, just as you suggested. I have your claws and poison and you have my purifying powers. What happens with me is a consequence of this. Apparently, my body is not strong enough to house the amount of power I have and the power that surges from our bond, so I will suffer changes. I do not know to what extent, because Midoriko didn't tell me. She only told me I will change.'

'You said that the two parts have to be trustful with each other?'

'Yes. Odd, isn't it? I do not know what she meant with that, since you tried so many times to kill me. But maybe we do trust each other to such an extent, our bond to occur.'

After a few moments of silence, Kagome asked:

'Sesshoumaru, where is Shippou? And where are we going?'

'You pup is with Rin on Ah-Un. Jaken is with them. We are heading to my castle. They left ahead of us. I had to be extra careful with you in my arms, so I would not injure you further more.' At that moment, he turned his gaze towards her, locking his golden hues with her black ones.

'_I feel like I could drown in his eyes. So beautiful and at the same time so cold. __**He was raised to be emotionless so he could become a powerful lord. **__But he cannot live like that. How could he find a mate if he is so cold? How could he produce an heir for his lands if he shows no emotion? __**Now you are worried about his lands' welfare and him having an heir? **__I-I-I-'_

'Miko, we have arrived.' Sesshoumaru said, breaking their gaze. _'She is blushing again. I wonder what makes her feel embarrassed about this Sesshoumaru. __**Maybe she falls for us? It would be wonderful. How come you worry about her? Are you also falling for this female? **__This Sesshoumaru will never feel anything for a ningen girl.'_

Turning towards their target, Kagome gasped in surprise. Never had she thought Sesshoumaru's castle to be so beautiful. It was situated on the brim of a rock, two of the walls being surrounded by nothing but abyss. It was two stores high, but it widened in length twice as much as any castle she had seen.

The fence was made of thick tree trunks, twice the stature of a human in height. The gate was huge, made of hard, rough wood. But the beauty of the entire place came exactly from that: the wildness of the nature and the tameness of the building itself.

Walking inside of the enforcement, Kagome's eyes widened in disbelief. The castle had gorgeous gardens, situated in the western part, and right next to them, a koi pond. Further to the south she could see a huge building, as high as the castle only that this one had only one level. She guessed it was the dojo.

'Beautiful.' was all she could muster at the sight in front of her.

Sesshoumaru was glad she liked his establishment and could not stop the pride appear in his eyes. _**'She likes our humble home. She is speechless. She should wait and see the interior. I can't wait to see her reaction when we take her inside. **__Indeed. I must say I am curious as to how she will react when she will see the room she will reside in. __**And what room would that be?**__ The one right next to ours. __**You mean the one that should be our mate's room? I thought you said you don't want to have anything to do with this ningen.**__ I gave a second thought. She is very powerful and as the Kamis have given me an ultimatum, I have to figure out something to get out of this. This Sesshoumaru does not want to be reduced to a mere human. __**So you have come to a decision? You will try and make her fall in love with us? **__This Sesshoumaru has chosen. As you pointed out she would be a good mate for the time being. __**What do you mean with that? **__She is a human. So she will die eventually. I can take another mate and have an heir with a demoness, so it will be a youkai and not a hanyou. __**But remember that you have to fall in love for the girl too. That is why the Kamis have given us the choice. We have to fall in love and have feelings. You cannot lie the Kamis.**__ I do not intend to. This Sesshoumaru has honor. __**And where is your honor in doing that to the girl? If you make her your mate you have to love her. In doing what you have planed you lose your honor. **__Hn.'_ With these thoughts in his mind, the Taiyoukai made his way through the gardens towards the entrance of the castle.

Giving her no time to further admire the surroundings, he entered the castle, Kagome still in his arms. At seeing his servants greeting him and bowing, he gave them orders to prepare the room next to his for his guest and dismissed them. The girl was by now beat red, cuddled at the demon's chest, head buried in his undershirt. She knew how she appeared in front of the servants: in their master's arms, dressed in nothing more that his haori. At this last though, her embarrassment increased and her scent changed dramatically.

'Why are you embarrassed, miko?'

'Umm … Sesshoumaru … I-I-I-

'Speak up girl. Why are you embarrassed of this Sesshoumaru?'

'Well because of the situation I am in. I mean look at me. I am in hour arms, dressed in nothing more that your haori. What would you think if you had seen this exact scene before your eyes?' she said in a whisper, muffled by his undergarment.

'I see now. You have nothing to be embarrassed of, girl. They are only servants. If you would be able to walk by yourself I would have put you down, but since you are in the state you are, I have to carry you.'

That being said, he walked towards the western wing, to his and soon to be Kagome's quarters. Upon entering her new room, Sesshoumaru saw the glint of excitement in her eyes. The room was huge, the ceiling that high that a transformed Inu youkai had plenty of room. The walls were a deep blue with a pattern of white Inu youkai in their true forms. The drawings were so exquisite that Kagome squealed in delight, forgetting about the demon's sensible sense of hearing. Sesshoumaru walked to the bed and laid her down.

'I have instructed the servants to bring your dinner in the room, given your weakened state. I suggest you rest today and tonight and give a try of leaving your confine tomorrow. I will send you a personal servant to help you with your needs.' Saying this, the demon left the room.

'Thank you.' whispered Kagome to the empty room in front of her.

Being alone, she took the advantage of studying the chamber. The bed she was occupying was huge, three times bigger than a normal two sized one from her era. It occupied three quarters of the wall next to the door. On the right side of the bed she had a little night table, with a few drawers. The wall across the bed was entirely glass. Big windows from the ceiling to the floor stood proudly, giving her an amazing view over a particularly secluded part of the gardens. A door also made of glass gave her access on the balcony. On the wall on the left to her bed was a huge fireplace with two comfortable looking chairs in front of and a thick fur on the floor. On the last wall she could see a door and next to the door an enormous wardrobe, a smaller cupboard with a mirror and personal items.

She was so excited about the room she was in, that she was restless. She would have went to the wardrobe to look inside and to check what was with the second door if she could have walked, but the fatigue in her body pinned her down. So she laid once more and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Before getting to his office, Sesshoumaru called for a youkai female servant.

'Liu, I have a guest. When dinner time comes, I want you to take her food in her room, the one right next to mine. Also, from now on, you will tend to her every need, I trust you to be the lady's personal maiden. Do not disappoint me.'

'Hai, my Lord.' Liu said and retreated to her chores.

Once in his office, Sesshoumaru sat down in the large chair and started working. He had lots of paperwork to see to and official letters to read and answer. It seemed that the other lords were gathering for the winter ceremonies and were asking him to attend. He always hated these gatherings because all the present female youkai tried to become his mate. _**'Take Kagome with you as your intended. **__It will be a great occasion to tell the other lords of my decision of mating. But they will consider I am weak. They will think I am like my father.__** Our father was a great youkai. You should not disrespect him. He has chosen his fate long before we were born. **__And how do you know that? And what fate was it? To die for a human mate and a hanyou? That was despicable from his behalf. __**As I told you, everyone has a fate. Do you not remember the tales he told us when we were a mere pup? You will understand soon enough what those stories symbolized.**__ Humph.'_

Sesshoumaru was brutally brought back to reality by the flare of the miko's aura. It was alarmingly high and he could sense the once dormant powers within her now brimming and escaping from her control. In a word, the powers reigned in Kagome's room, she no longer being able to control them.

Upon approaching her room, he could see Liu with a tray of food in her hands, backing away from the girl's door, frightened of her powers.

'My L-L-Lord' she stuttered, not being able to say anything.

'Leave, Liu. I will take care of this myself.' With that being said, Sesshoumaru grabbed a hold of the doorknob, opened the door and slipped inside.

**_AN. : I must admit I am not very pleased with this chapter, but I don't think I can work it better, so here it is. _**

**_Thank you all for reading and reviewing this story._**

**_Ja ne._**


	6. Change

**_AN. : I am back with another chapter. I hope you really like it, 'cause I loved writing it. I guess it is my favourite so far._**

**_My muse wouldn't stop bugging me until I wrote this, so that is why, my readers, I have come forth with the next chapter so fast after the previous update._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own the characters._**

Up in the sky, in the holy realm, the Kamis were again gathered in the Round Chamber. They were discussing about the latest changes in the realm below them, especially about a certain situation.

'The time has come. Our beloved and long lost Goddess of Fate will return to us.' the God of Reason said.

'Yes. It is time. It will not take long from what I see.' the Goddess of Choice added.

They were all smiling, all except one. The present Goddess of Fate.

'I am well aware that all I am is just a mere replacement of the true Goddess and not a successor, for my forehead was never honored by her marking. It seems that it has chosen to remain with the true Goddess, even if she was a Fallen.'

At the simple pronunciation of the word 'Fallen', all the Kamis' eyes fell to the ground in shame, for they knew what that implied. She had defied the council when she went to speak with Inutaisho.

_**Flashback**_

_Inutaisho was in his office, pondering upon a very important matter for his House. While all the other Houses had a royal marking, the East had the sun, the South had the water and the North had the __fire, the West had no marking. For that, all the other Lords thought his family to be cursed, which made them decide that he had to be fought and his lands divided between the other three Houses. _

_Still in deep thought, Inutaisho rose from the chair, walked out of his office and castle and into the confinements of the gardens. He was always at ease in his mother's gardens. He had been Lord of the Western Lands only for a couple years and he knew he was considered to be too young and too inexperienced. _

_He was sitting under a huge sakura tree when he felt the approaching of a creature with immense powers. He stood and waited, and in a blink of an eye, she was in front of him. _

'_Inutaisho-sama. It is an honor to meet you. I am the Goddess of Fate.'_

_He said nothing, only bowed deeply in respect for the Goddess in front of him. He straightened and looked at her. She had long, wavy, raven locks that fell down her back and ended at her mid-thigh. Her skin was as white as the purest snow. Her eyes were black as the moonless night and her lips were as red as the fire. On her forehead she wore the marking of her element: a black crescent moon. She wore a long white kimono, with an intricate design of the formation of the universe unfolding, on its lower part. She was floating in mid-air, not honoring the ground with the touch of her feet. She was a deity, in both beauty and power. _

'_Goddess, I am most honored you have come to see me, although I do not know what I did to deserve such a visit.'_

'_Inutaisho-sama, I have come for I have seen you fate and it has troubled me. It seems you have two parallel fates, a situation unheard of.'_

_Inutaisho's eyes widened in surprise and confusion._

'_You are well aware of the plans the other Lords have upon fighting you and taking your lands. Although I know you are more than able to fight them and protect your lands hear my plea. Should you choose to act in this way, your fate is sealed. You will never have the trust of the other Houses and youkai as you will never find a mate and will not produce an heir. Upon your death, which will be earlier that you would think, the lands will be divided and your House's existence will end. Should you choose to act against this, I can help you.'_

'_I have no desire in ending my House's blood-line. Nor have I the desire of getting every youkai's hate. Goddess, how can I change my fate? I plea for your help.'_

'_Your fate lies within the East. The House of the Sun holds your destiny, in the form of Saisho, the Lord's daughter. If you win her as your mate, part of your fate will settle, and no problems will occur for the next two centuries. But when problems, in the form of a horde of low level youkai, appear, seek for a powerful priestess named Midoriko. She will help you.'_

'_Thank you Goddess. I am honored to have heard your voice and seen your holy face, but even more honored to be helped by you.'_

'_I am pleased to see you are wise. Now, there is one more thing I need to do before I leave, for the other Kamis do not know of my departure. And I will do this even if it means to defy them. Come closer, Inutaisho-sama.'_

_Upon his approach, the Goddess reached and touched his forehead with her slender fingers. A moment later, a twin marking of a crescent moon, only in a mirrored position with the kami's one, appeared. Only his had the color his stripes were, magenta._

'_Whoever sees your marking now will know you were blessed by me. You are now the first of the House of the Moon. Now I must go. Remember what I have told you. My soul would be torn apart if you chose to fight and be the first and the last of your House. It will never find its pace and will wonder in this realm, never being able to reincarnate, for I know the punishment for my defiance.'_

'_You mean you have chosen to be banished from the holy realm just to warn and help me? I do not deserve such an honor.' With these words, Inutaisho fell to the ground, his beautiful face contorted with the pain of knowing the Kami's fate._

'_It is my choice. And I have chosen wisely, Inutaisho-sama. Now go and fulfill your fate.' With that she vanished into thin air, leaving a startled Taiyoukai behind._

_**End flashback**_

'We have been too harsh with her punishment.' the God of Justice reasoned after a pain strikingly long silence.

'But now she returns home. She will be amongst us again.' the God of Reason added.

All the Kamis were smiling to the prospect of their most beloved Goddess' returning. They knew she was the most worshipped of them by the people and she always was a kind, warm Goddess, her advice and word being holy even for the other Kamis. When still amongst them she was no Goddess of Fate, for it was long since she became Fate itself. That was the reason her marking remained with her and didn't appear on the other's forehead when she passed the ritual.

All but one were smiling, for the Goddess of Foretelling knew what would happen, but she would never tell them. She was long convinced that if the other Kamis were to know what was to come, the Fate would be again changed. She wanted so much to see the other Goddess after such a long missing, but she knew better than playing with Fate, and therefore with the Goddess herself.

'_They will have to wait and see what will happen. I will not endanger her again. I do not wish anything to stand in Fate's way.'_

**00000;)00000**

To say the scene that greeted Sesshoumaru in Kagome's room startled him would be the understatement of the century. Her powers had completely slipped from under her control and pink flames of purifying energy were brushing the walls as if trying to purify everything in their way. Pink energy balls were flying around the bed, encircling the sleeping girl.

He walked to her bed and looked at her. Her body was all drenched in sweat, her face contorted in pain. It could be seen in a mere glance that she was in lots of pain due to her changes and that her body was torn in two: it was trying to sooth her pain and also rein her power. Not knowing what to do, he sat on the edge of her bed and gathered her in his arms. Truthfully, he was amazed she was still alive. He could feel the surge of power and, to some extent, the pain she was in through their bond and he knew it was not easy to handle them as a ningen.

It seemed that his touch gave her further energy to harness the amount, for they withdrew inside her body.

'_Lord Sesshoumaru'_

'Who are you?'

'_I am Midoriko. I have come to talk with you.'_

'How come I cannot sense your aura and powers?'

'_I am __but a spirit, therefore I have little time. The change is close. It will be over by the next dawn.'_

'What is she to change in?'

'_I cannot tell you for I do not know__ either. All I know and was instructed to tell you is that you are not to leave her side. She needs your strength and power to get through this, so stay with her. Also, you might try and put her into the hot spring, for the warm water will sooth her pain and help her furthermore to rule her power while her body changes. Help her and remember: do not leave her side, not even for a blink of an eye. It is most crucial.'_

'Who is it that instructed you to tell me this?'

'_The Goddess of Foretelling. Kagome's__ very important for the Kamis. Her fate is not sealed yet. She has to make an important choice until the change is over.'_

'What choice is that?'

'_All I know is that it is connected with what she will change into. Sesshoumaru-sama, I am afraid I must departure. My time here is limited. I must return into the jewel once again. Remember never to leave her side.'_

That being said, Midoriko's form dissipated. Sesshoumaru was by now in deep thought, the girl cuddled at his chest.

'_What can this mean? The Kamis have given her a great fate?__** I must admit I find it confusing also. I wonder what that priestess said about the choice Kagome has to make before she completely transforms. **__Indeed. Troublesome miko. It seems she is wrapped into mysteries. __**Hai. But let us not forget her wellbeing. Let us take her to the spring.**__'_

Shaking off his thoughts, Sesshoumaru took the girl in his arms and exited the room through the second door, the one Kagome saw a few hours earlier, but not before he gathered a night kimono and a cloth for drying the water. When in the bathing area, the Taiyoukai put her on a stone bench and took a look at her. She was still wearing his haori. He reached and loosened up the little piece of cloth she had made as an obi and then he took off the haori letting it fall to the ground. He was met with an odd sight. She was wearing very strange undergarments. After fussing around with her bra for quite some time he managed to open it. When he was done, he lowered her in the warm water, taking care her head remained above it.

'_**I wonder what will she say when she will find out who undressed and dressed her back. I bet she will make a very interesting sight with that feisty character she has. **__…'_

All the while in the hot spring, Sesshoumaru cleaned the sweat that drenched her hair, using his claws to also untangle it. _'She has such soft hair, even in this predicament. And her skin is silky, its color contrasting beautiful with the hair and eyes. __**What is this? Is the great Sesshoumaru falling for a ningen? **__No. I was barely observing her features. __**Whatever, but you know you cannot lie to me. I am your other half, so I know better. You will realize it one of these days.**__ Hn. This Sesshoumaru has nothing to realize. Never will a mere ningen catch this Sesshoumaru's eye. __**You will see. Just wait.'**_

_**Dream**_

'_Kagome-sama.'_

'_Midoriko? Am I dreaming again?'_

'_I am not Midoriko. I am the Goddess of Foretelling. I have come to tell you the truth. Your change is not far from ending. When the new dawn will come it will stop. You will become what you choose to be.'_

'_What do you mean with that?' In that moment she felt something cold touch her forehead and with the mere brush of fingertips, memories of a long forgotten life came back. _

'_Kagome-sama, you are the Goddess of Fate. No, I am wrong, you are Fate itself. You are the most beloved among the holy realm. I am sure you can remember why you have come to be a mortal human. Trust me, all the Kamis regret their overzealous decision.'_

_With her memories, her anger for the Kamis came also. She knew they would have let Inutaisho-sama destroy himself and his lands. And that was why she has helped him, so that his House would rise from the darkness and have a chance. That was what she did. She has given him a chance. And he has taken the chance and it budded into two beautiful flowers: Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. Although the first one was dead, the latter still had the chance to find a mate and continue the heritage his father has left him. _

_And that was the moment she understood why Sesshoumaru wasn't able to resurrect his brother. _

'_Tell me, Goddess, why didn't Tenseiga work when Sesshoumaru-sama tried to bring his brother back to life?'_

_The Goddess was surprised by this question. She didn't expect it, nonetheless she would answer._

'_The Kamis saw it a mere punishment for the Western Lord.'_

_Kagome's anger was building up. She could not believe that the Gods and Goddesses let an innocent life fade away as punishment._

'_Since when are the Kamis playing with innocent lives? Or was it because they still think the House of the Moon was destined to destruction?'_

'_Kagome-sama, I have come here not to talk of these things, but of your choice. What do you choose? Do you want to come back amongst us, and be worshipped by the people and loved by the Kamis? Do you want to come home, or do you want to remain in the realm you were sent as a Fallen?'_

'_I will never come back to the council. They have taken only wrong decisions. I will remain in this realm even if I know I will be a mere mortal. I prefer mortality amongst people that I care for, than immortality amongst Kamis that have done me and the world so much wrong.'_

'_Very well, Kagome-sama. I bid you farewell.' And with that, the Goddess faded away, letting an enraged Kagome alone with her thoughts. _

_She could feel the amount of power that surged through her; now that she was reminded her past life her powers as a Kami, dormant within the frail body of a human female, had awakened. She was wondering what will happen to her now, when she heard a distant voice._

_**End of dream**_

Sesshoumaru saw the change in her. As the dawn was drawing in fast, she started stirring. Her beautiful face still contorted in pain looked as if the agony would tear her in small pieces at any moment. As the first rays of sun appeared, a pink light engulfed them both. It lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough for the pain to subside to nothing and to let the girl peacefully sleep in the warm water.

What intrigued the stoic Taiyoukai was the marking on her forehead. A black crescent moon adorned her brow, only it was positioned in a mirrored angle with his. His eyes widened slightly in recognition. That was the marking of the Goddess that helped his father, the same one that gave them the marking of the House of the Moon. Sure he remembered the story very well; his father used to tell it every night as a bedtime tale, making sure he will remember it and honor the Goddess. After all, it was thanks to her his parents met and mated, it was thanks to her he was born.

Realization downing into his mind he stood and got her out of the spring, wrapped her in the cloth to dry the water and then put the night kimono on her. After he finished with this, he gathered her in his arms and carried her to the bed, gently laying her down. He took an intake to sense her scent and what he felt in it disturbed him. Her aura was not one of a Kami, neither was her scent.

'Kagome' he whispered slowly. He couldn't believe that was what she had changed into.

And right on queue, Kagome woke up. She slowly opened her eyes and met Sesshoumaru's. The first impression she had was that of being hit in the head with a brick. Her head was pounding with pain and she felt her forehead burning slightly where the Goddess in her dream touched it. She remembered the dream but still couldn't believe it. But she knew she was not a Goddess. She was not feeling as one. Instead, she felt odd. She took a quick breath and merely fainted at the richness of the scents in the air. Her ears picked up every noise in the castle and in the forest that lay near it. Her eyesight was sharper also. Her hair was longer and it seemed to reach her mid-thighs. She slowly raised her hand and looked at her fingers. She still had the claws and she could feel the poison rushing in her veins, so no change there.

She stood up on her shaky feet and tried to walk, but miserably failed. It took all her will not to whine in pain because of the sore muscles she had but surprisingly enough, the pain was fading fast and she could feel herself healing them. She moved towards the mirror in her room and took a good look. Her once raven hair was now silver and silkier than before, her skin was more velvety but it kept the same shade. Her cheekbones were a little higher than before and her arms and legs were well toned. Another change was her high. If before the change she barely reached Sesshoumaru's chest, she now easily reached his chin. She could see the black crescent moon adorning her forehead, even if she was sure she was not a Kami, but quite contrary, a demoness, and an Inu demoness to that.

She turned towards the Taiyoukai and locked her black eyes with his golden ones. His face was emotionless, but his eyes gave him away. He was curious of what could this female Inu youkai do, what were her abilities.

As if she had read his mind, Kagome raised her left hand and concentrated. A second afterwards, her claws were shinning green from the poison she had drawn in. She had raised her right arm and concentrated again; this time she had brought her miko powers forth.

'Good. I still am a miko. Which means I still am the protector of the Shikon no Tama.' As she said this she broke the eye contact and looked at her hands.

'You know that you are now in danger? If you do not train to learn how to use your new powers and abilities, you will be the victim of the first male powerful enough to subdue you. And you will be taken, with or without your consent, as his mate. You are a very powerful demoness and a miko also. You are the only of this kind. You will be the target of all the unmated youkai.'

Hearing his words, Kagome snapped her gaze back on him and growled. This earned her a smirk from the stoic Taiyoukai.

'Do not growl at this Sesshoumaru, wench.' he said in a dangerously low voice.

Kagome just smirked back and said, into a more playful tone:

'Do you forget who I am? You should respect me. I am the one thanks to whom you are now standing here. I deserve your respect and I am asking you to show it. You will not address me with 'wench', 'miko' or other similar names. My name is Kagome and you will use it. We are equals, Sesshoumaru, even if you don't like it.'

Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth in anger. How could this mere slip of a girl, well, now demoness, put him to respect? He will never accept this. So he made a move towards her with his demonic power. Only that Kagome's keen eyes could see him and she knew he was in for her neck so she stood her ground and in the last second she dodged his hand and jumped behind him, clawing at his shoulder.

'I am no longer an easy target Sesshoumaru. I agree that I need training, which I will start as soon as I finish breakfast, but that does not mean I am not your equal. I do not have to look at your shoulder to know I have drawn blood. I can smell it and feel it on my claws.'

Sesshoumaru was enraged. His eyes were turning red and he knew what was to happen. If he would lose his cool and let his youkai half take control, the miko would be in great danger. So he turned around slowly, eyes set on hers, and with the greatest difficulty, he controlled his youki and answered back:

'Very well. I will have the servants prepare breakfast. You may come down in a half an hour. I trust you may find your way in the palace with the help of your nose. Nevertheless, I will have Liu come and attend your needs.' With that he left the room, swiftly closing the door behind him.

**_AN. : Thank you all for reading. I have to tell you that I do not know if I will be able to write another chapter the next few days. So it will take me some time, but hopefully not too much._**

**_Ja ne._**


	7. Training

**_AN. : Hy. In spite of the amount of work I have to do I have found time for my muse and my story. Here is the next chapter ... hope you like it._**

**_Disclaimer: I do own Inuyasha, nor do I own the characters._**

As soon as he was out of the room, Liu entered. To say the sight in front of her eyes surprised her would be an understatement. She was expecting to see a fragile human girl, not a white Inu youkai female, with the marking of the Goddess of Fate on her forehead. As soon as her mind registered this information, Liu dropped on the floor, bowing deeply, her brow touching the ground.

Kagome didn't have to turn to know someone entered her room. With her keen hearing and senses, she knew there was another person there, so she turned on her heels and looked at the poor servant youkai on the floor.

'Please stand up.'

At hearing her speaking, Liu stood, head bowed in respect.

'Goddess, I am your personal maiden. Ask everything and I will bring you. Also I will tend of your every need.'

Kagome eyed the demoness in front of her. She was pretty, her big round eyes had the color of honey, and her hair was white with black highlights in. Her ears were pointed, as hers and Sesshoumaru's were.

'Right now, I do not need anything but to get into the dinning area. As disrespectful as Sesshoumaru was with me, I do not want to be late. Tell me … umm, what is your name?'

'Liu, my Lady.'

'Liu, tell me please. What kind of youkai are you?'

'I am a white tiger youkai, my Lady.'

'Ok. Liu we have something to settle here. First, I am no Goddess, so do not give me the respect one should receive. Second, I am no Lady either, so please don't call me that. My name is Kagome. Please use it.'

'But, my Lady, Lord Sesshoumaru has given you the room only his intended Lady should receive. Therefore, we are bound to call you that. And if I only use your name, I will be punished by our Lord for not showing the respect you should receive.'

'Trust me, I am not Sesshoumaru's intended. He never said anything like that to me. I am here for he offered to teach me how to spare.'

Liu's eyes widened for a second and then a smile graced her lips. She knew which were the steps of an Inu youkai courting a female, and this was the first of them. If the female were to accept the training session, it meant she had accepted his courting. _'But she was a girl yesterday when she was brought. A human girl. She couldn't know the Inu youkai's courting rituals. And how exactly did she turn out to be a demoness and have the marking of the Goddess of Fate, the Protector of the House of the Moon?'_

'Lady Kagome, may I ask you a question?'

'Of course, Liu.'

'I-I-I- … well the question is this: how come yesterday you were a human girl and today you are a demoness who has the marking of our beloved Goddess of Fate?'

'Ahhh. I though you might ask that. Well you see, my body was too frail to house my miko powers and the holy powers that were awakened when my memories were returned to me. For you see, I am, or better said was, the Goddess of Fate. But last night, before my change was complete, the Goddess of Foretelling came to me and awakened my memories and my powers and told me to choose: go back home amongst the Kamis, or remain in this realm. And I have chosen. I suppose being a white Inu youkai was the best form for the great amount of power I wield. The marking remained with me because I have long since I became Fate itself. I still have the element inside me and I can see everyone's fate.'

At her words, Liu bowed deeply in respect and stood there, rooted to the floor in awestruck. This being in front of her has chosen to remain between mortals and demons instead of returning in the holy realm.

'Liu, please help me find the dinning area. I do not want to be late.'

'Yes, Lady Kagome. But, your Lady, your claws … have blood on them. Are you injured? I do not sense any injury but I am only a low servant. Do you not want to wash them before you go down to breakfast?'

'Oh … yeah I forgot about that. This is not my blood. It is Sesshoumaru's. I will be right back; I'll go and wash it off.'

'_She has clawed Lord Sesshoumaru? And he did not strike back? But after all she is the Protector of this House, so I guess she deserves an even greater respect than our Lord.'_

'I am ready. Please show me how to get to breakfast.'

Liu motioned her for the door, so Kagome exited. 'Why are you walking behind me? How are we supposed to find the dinning area if I am in front? I do not know how to reach it.'

'In Inu tradition, a servant never walks in front of the master. Walking in front means you are the master, walking next to each other means you are equals and walking behind means you are either of a lower rank, which could be in power or socially, or a servant and you must obey. You see I cannot walk in front of you, my Lady. I will guide you to the dinning room.'

Kagome was bewildered. She never knew that there were so many traditions in Inu community.

'Liu, I want to know more about the Inu traditions; now that I am one of them I have to start acting like one. So I want to know if can find parchments in this castle.'

'Yes, Lady Kagome. There is a library in the northern wing. I will escort you there when you wish.'

'Very well. Thank you.'

A few minutes after this discussion, they were in front of the dinning room doors. Liu opened them for her and she slipped inside. Sesshoumaru was sitting at the table already, waiting for her. They were alone, but her keen ears told her that two pairs of feet were approaching fast. And she was right, for not a minute later, Rin and Shippou came running in the room. They both froze when they saw her. They didn't recognize her.

'Shippou, Rin. Ohayo. Come, let me give you a hug.'

'Oka-san? Is that you?' Shippou asked.

'Yes, it is me.'

'What happened with you? You are an Inu youkai. You were human. How did you transform into one?'

'Pup, it is not the time for stories. Come, sit, we will eat now.' Sesshoumaru intruded their conversation.

They all sat down, Rin first, on Sesshoumaru's left, with Shippou right next to her. But when Kagome wanted to sit next to her pup, the demon lord stopped her and beckoned her to sit on his right.

The servants came in and put plates of food in front of them. Sesshoumaru was the only one whose plate had raw, bloody meet on. At the sight of it, Kagome's stomach gave a twist and she immediately turned her gaze towards her own food. It was human food. She waited for the Lord of the castle to take the first bite, for that was the custom, and took a bite. The rice seemed so dry and had such a bad taste that she immediately put her chopsticks down and said she wasn't hungry. She wouldn't dishonor Sesshoumaru saying his cooks were not doing their job.

But the Taiyoukai could hear the grumble her stomach was making. She was hungry. _'But why isn't she eating if she is hungry? __**Hmm … maybe she does not like our food. We should punish the cooks for burning our intended's food. **__The pups eat it. That means the food is well done.'_ And then it struck him. Kagome was no longer a human, so she would not find the human food nourishing or even tasty.

'Liu'

'Yes my Lord?'

'Go to the kitchen and bring another plate of raw meat.'

'Yes, my Lord.'

With that, she exited the room and went to the kitchen. A few minutes later she was back with a plate of meat and made to give it to Sesshoumaru but he nodded towards Kagome. Liu understood and took the plate with human food and placed the one she just brought.

'What does this mean?'

'Eat. You are hungry.'

'But I do not ear raw meat.'

'Youkai eat it. And you are one of them. You find the human food taste bad and not nourishing, do you not? It is because you are now an Inu.'

'But Shippou eats human food.'

'He is a pup. He will not need this kind of food for some years now. But after he will reach his teens he will start seeking it.'

Kagome couldn't make up her mind. Should she try it or should she not?

'Kagome, eat. You will need strength for your training.' Sesshoumaru said, trying to make her eat.

She took her chopsticks and tried a little piece of meet. It was so reach in flavors and so tasty. She couldn't believe she really enjoyed the metallic taste of the blood on her tongue. She devoured the meet in a breath, forgetting about manners and anything else. Shippou was looking at her awestricken. His oka-san was eating raw meet and she liked it.

After she finished her plate she remembered about the other occupants of the table and raised her eyes from the plate and looked at them. Rin had a casual air about it, but Shippou was pinned to the chair, eyes widened, looking at her. She blushed immediately and turned her gaze towards Sesshoumaru. He was looking at her with a smirk on his lips.

'Gomen.' she whispered. 'I do not know what happened.'

'You were hungry. And you enjoyed your breakfast so much that your eyes turned read in pleasure. Apparently, your youki liked it also.' Sesshoumaru said, the smirk still plastered on his face.

Hearing his explanation, Kagome turned an even darker shade of red. She was fidgeting on the chair, not even daring to look up from her lap.

'In time you will learn how to keep your instincts and your youki under control. You have nothing to be embarrassed of.' Here, he made a short pause, as to let his words sink in her mind and then he continued. 'I considered appointing you one of my trusted generals to train you. But then I reconsidered and I decided to train you myself. We start as soon as you are ready.'

'Thank you, Sesshoumaru. I am ready when you are.'

'Very well. Rin, Jaken will come and take you and the kitsune pup outside. You are to listen to him and play together. Do not come and disturb the training.' With that being said, Sesshoumaru stood and said:

'Let us go, Kagome.'

And for her surprise, he didn't leave without her. Never did he walk in front of her, but next to her, Kagome walking on his right side.

'So does this mean you consider me an equal?'

'Hn. Did Liu tell you of the Inu traditions?'

'Some. She told me because I asked her to lead the way to the dinning area so she explained me this.'

'I will tell her to explain you the other traditions also.'

'Thank you. But I already asked her to take me to the library when I finish with the training. I would like to find a book and read about them.'

'You know how to read?'

'What? Of course I know how to read. I told you I went to school. And for 10 years in a row that is. I would have continued it, but I started my adventures with Inuyasha so I had to drop it.'

'Very well. I will show you the library at the end of the training. I can appoint you the parchments that describe our traditions.'

'Thank you. Where are we going now?'

'We are going in the gardens. We will start the training session with meditation. This will help you clear your mind of your emotions, so you can think clear and concentrate better upon what I shall teach you.' Barely had he finished his words that he had stopped. They were in the gardens, surrounded by all kinds of flowers and trees.

Sesshoumaru had chosen a sakura tree and sat down under it, Indian style. He beckoned to her to come and sit in front of him, but Kagome was lost in memories for a second at the sight of the old tree.

'This is the tree I have found Inutaisho-sama that night, when I had come to talk with him, under.'

'I know. I find this tree the most peaceful part of the garden, so it is the best place to meditate.' Sesshoumaru snapped her out of the memories.

Without any other words, Kagome sat down in front of him, imitating his posture and listened his every word.

'Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Concentrate on your inner turmoil and try to calm it down.'

She did what she was asked to. She closed her eyes and concentrated upon her worries and memories. And then she submerged into her memories of past and future, looking for the Taiyoukai's course of fate. And she saw it, under the form of three visions: one from the past, one from the present and one from the future.

In front of her inner eye an image of Sesshoumaru standing on a cliff appeared. And then she saw the form of the Goddess of Choice floating in front of him, telling him something.

'_Due to the killings and fights you have involved yourself in, us, the Kamis, have decided to punish you. However, we have also decided to give you one last chance. You are to choose from two options: you either choose to help a couple fall in love, or you find a mate to love and to be loved by. Both way, you will find out what love is and you will start feeling. If you do not accept to do as we decided, your life as a demon will end and you will be transformed into a human, a life as a ningen being the perfect punishment for you. If this happens, your lands will be taken over by worthless youkai and divided. A war will start and more humans and demons will die.'_

As the Kami finished her words, the vision blurred and from the rivers of fate another one came. This one was an image from the past night, when she changed and Sesshoumaru took care of her.

_As the dawn was drawing in fast, she started stirring. Her beautiful face, still contorted in pain, looked as if the agony would tear her in small pieces at any moment. As the first rays of sun appeared, a pink light engulfed them both. It lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough for the pain to subside to nothing and to let the girl peacefully sleep in the warm water. _

_What intrigued the stoic Taiyoukai was the marking on her forehead. A black crescent moon adorned her brow, only it was positioned in a mirrored angle with his. His eyes widened slightly in recognition. _

_H__e stood and got her out of the spring, wrapped her in the cloth to dry the water and then put the night kimono on her. After he finished with this, he gathered her in his arms and carried her to the bed, gently laying her down. He took an intake to sense her scent and what he felt in it disturbed him. _

'_Kagome' he whispered slowly. _

As the whisper faded, so did the vision and from the depths of future she received another image.

_Sesshoumaru and Kagome were standing in front of a massive oak door, waiting to be presented. They were both dressed exquisitely. And then, a deep masculine voice boomed in the room they were to enter:_

'_Presenting Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands and his intended, Lady Kagome.'_

_At that precise moment Sesshoumaru offered her his hand and when the door opened, they entered in the great ball room, greeted by none other than the Lord of the Eastern Lands, Hinode-sama._

'_Lord Sesshoumaru.'_

'_Lord Hinode. Let me present you Lady Kagome, my intended.'_

_With a little bow of his head, Lord Hinode said: _

'_Lady Kagome. So we finally meet, Goddess of Fate.'_

'_I am no longer a Goddess. But you may call me Demoness of Fate, for my element did not forsake me.'_

'_Tell me please, what has Fate in store for my House?'_

'_Lord Hinode, I will check your stream of Fate when meditation will permit me. But you know I am not to tell you anything, or else its flow will be changed.'_

'_Still you have told Lord Inutaisho.'_

'_That I did and it was because I saw it in his fate. As you can see, my fate was bounded with his.' With this, Kagome nodded to the Eastern Lord and passed him, her hand still on Sesshoumaru's arm. They entered the room, both with their chins held high, just as a true Lord and Lady should do, and walked towards the table all the lords were seated at. She could feel all the eyes on her. The females were looking with hate and rage at her, the males with lust and desire._

With that last sensation, the vision blurred again and she emerged from the rivers of Fate and back to the real world. She could pick up the slight shuffle of clothes in front of her and she opened her eyes. She was not surprised to see that in her state of 'unconsciousness' she had erected a barrier around herself and Sesshoumaru.

When he saw she had opened her eyes he said:

'I see you have managed well. Was your meditation calming and soothing?'

'Surprisingly it was. I have seen glimpses of your fate, Sesshoumaru.' She said with a smile.

'You mean you can still see the others' fate?'

'Yes, I can. My element has not abandoned me. I can say that I have become Fate itself.'

'And why only glimpses?'

'Because the Fate reveals itself in three visions. Past. Present. Future. I have seen a scene for each of them.'

'And I suppose you cannot tell me what my future holds.'

'You guess correctly, for if I am to reveal it, it may not happen.'

'Hn.' With that, the demon asked her to lower her barrier for they were to go to the dojo to begin their real training. She brushed her fingers over it and lowered it and they both walked to the imposing dojo, situated in the southern part of the gardens.

When inside the massive building Sesshoumaru took her in the middle of the floor and he stood in front of her.

'First of all I will teach you how to use your poison. I believe you know how to use the claws, seeing that you did demonstrate it in the morning. Now, concentrate on the poison within your veins. When you are sure you can summon it, I want you to imagine a whip made of poison, whip that starts from your fingertips. Do not rush things, take your time and concentrate.'

Kagome did what she was told. She closed her eyes and concentrated upon the foreign substance flowing in her veins. She called it forth at the tips of her fingertips and when she was sure it was under her control and could draw it in her claws, she imagined a whip made from the poison. And when the image was clear enough, she felt her poison taking the form she had summoned and she opened her eyes. The poisonous whip was not something she would have expected, for it was very short, in fact it was that short it would not even touch Sesshoumaru, who was standing several feet away from her.

'You broke your concentration too fast. You should have kept the image longer. Do it again; this time I want you to imagine a longer version of the whip and do it properly.'

She didn't say anything. She closed her eyes and started the tedious process again. When she opened her eyes the whip was certainly longer, but the amount of time it took her to summon it was also too long . So Sesshoumaru told her to try it again, only this time she should draw the whip faster.

They worked, or better said, she worked, like that the entire morning and by lunch time she could draw the poisonous whip in an eye blink and it would have been as long as she wanted it.

Sesshoumaru interrupted their morning session there. He was pleased she was a fast learner and she really managed to control the deadly weapon. They exited the dojo and went to the gardens to meditate again.

'Meditation will help you relax and concentrate. You need to have a clear mind if you want to start the sparing lessons.' he told her when she pouted, for meditation was not something she was eager to do.

After another session of meditation, this time no vision interrupting Kagome's concentration and calming down, they reached once more for the dojo. Being youkai, they didn't need to have lunch.

'We will start with the basics. For this, we will be training with two woodened katanas, so no undesired injuries would occur.'

He went to one of the room's corner and produced two training katanas. He handed her one and he kept one for himself. Then he proceeded in showing her the correct stance a sword master should have when fighting. Kagome tried to copy his stance as best as she could, but she made so many mistakes that Sesshoumaru had to come to her and correct them.

She had to put the right foot in front of the other, bent her knees and keep the sword in front of her, its tip parallel with her nose, its hilt next to her right hip, her back straight. Sesshoumaru came to her and gently put a palm on her right knee, 'Bent it more', than his other palm rested on her upper back, 'Straighten your back and shoulders'; with the tip of his sword he touched her left foot 'Bent you knee lower and get the heel off the ground. Only your toes should touch the ground from your left foot.' Finishing with her body correction he looked at the way she was holding the katana. He stepped behind her and assumed the same position she was in, helping her body to keep the right stance, and grab a hold on her sword, palms over hers. He instructed with his own fingers how she should hold the hilt and then he said 'Tighten your hold on the sword's hilt, or else I can take it off from you with the mere touch and you'd remain without any defense.'

Kagome was barely able to concentrate on his words; for his hard chest pressed against her back, his arms embracing her and his warm breath on her neck did the trick of sending her daydreaming about said demon lord.

When he released her and stepped in front of her she almost whimpered for the loss of his body heat and dropped the katana. Too caught in her dreams she didn't even make a move to pick it up, Sesshoumaru having to do it for her. He tossed her the woodened sword and asked her to assume the position he just showed her. Reluctantly, Kagome scoffed at herself and slowly, with as much grace as she could muster, she assumed the position.

'_**Her body is enticing. I can still feel the tingling**__** sensation on our body when you showed her that position. **__Indeed, her body is well toned. She looks acceptable. And she is a fast learner. __**Acceptable? Do you not see how beautiful she is? Her long, wavy silver hair, her black eyes, her well toned body, her long legs, that milky skin of hers and her slim waist. **__She has potential. Nonetheless, she still needs to work on her body's muscles. __**Arrogant. **__I must admit though that it was pleasurable to hold her in my arms and I felt a faint scent of arousal from her too. __**Ahh … that means she is falling for us. Excellent, excellent. **__Hn.'_

'_What does this mean? My body feels the loss of his body heat. I felt as if I had lost a part of me when he released me. What is this feeling in the pit of my stomach? Is it … love? Could it be that I fell in love with him? __**Normally it is called love. You, my dear, are head over heals for that Ice Prince.**__ Yeah … only that I would never know if he returns the feelings. For although I know what Fate has in its stores for both of us, I also know that the Kamis have told him to find a mate or else he would be punished. __**Ahh … my dear, but you forget one major thing. The Kamis told him he must fall in love and make the female fall in love with him if he does not want the wrath of the Gods to come upon him. **__Well he has accomplished half of the condition … for I have fallen for him. __**Now it is your turn to make him fall for you.**__'_

At her last thought, a bright knowing smile blossomed on her lips. Kagome locked eyes with the stoic lord and assumed the position once more, never releasing his gaze from hers. She would make him fall for her.

**_AN. : Well this is it. I like the way it turned out, although I know it could have been something better._**

**_I have forgotten to tell you last chapter the translation for the name of Sesshoumaru's mother, Saisho. In Japonese, saisho means 'beginning'. Ohh... and Hinode's name ... it means 'sunshine'. _**

**_Thank you to all the reviewers. Keep reading and reviewing guys._**

**_Ja ne._**


	8. Vision

**_AN. : Hello my readers. I am sorry for the long wait but I kind of had a writer's block and my muse did not want to help me. sighs Well I am not pleased with the way this chapter turned out, but I really tried hard, you know? My muse will not help me more than this. _**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor the characters._**

Around dinner time, Sesshoumaru has stopped the sparing session and they both once more went to the gardens for meditation. When they had calmed their minds and bodies, the two Inu youkai started towards the castle. Kagome went in her room, in a desperate need of a hot bath to sooth her sore muscles. But she could not stay too long, for the Taiyoukai was not too happy if you were late, regardless of the situation.

After she finished her bath she stopped by the closet she had in her room and decided she would wear a kimono. After all, she had been wearing training clothes the entire day so a change would be welcomed. _'Besides, if I want to make him fall for me, I have to impress him. __**Choose a kimono in his House's color, but try to find one that will also represent the Goddess in you. It would do him great pleasure to see you have chosen his colors for your attire.**__'_

Looking at the huge variety of kimonos, Kagome found the perfect one. It was a black kimono that had a design on the lower part. It represented a huge white Inu youkai in his true form, the marking of the House of the Moon on his forehead. Gentle pink sakura blossoms were swirling around him. The scene was a simple one. As an obi, she had chosen a white one to compliment her milky skin. The kimono was beautiful. It was made of the softest silk she had ever crossed in her life. Even in her era she didn't find something like this. Yet the material was very resistant. She had tried its strength and surprisingly it didn't break. She was puzzled. _'How could a material so soft to the touch be so resistant? I must ask Sesshoumaru.'_ Snapping out of her thoughts she remembered that said demon lord was waiting for her and the children in the dinning room. So she dressed fast and made her way down.

When she entered the chamber, Sesshoumaru was already at the table, seated in the same chair as in the morning. When he saw her, the demon was literally speechless. The kimono she had chosen was clinging to her form as a second skin. Her silver hair and white skin were complimented by its dark shade. He couldn't believe she had chosen that piece to wear. That kimono was given to his mother as a gift in her early years of being mated with Inutaisho, making it clear she was the true Lady of the West.

As Kagome took her place at his right side, the children entered the room. As soon as they were seated, the servants entered with the plates: human food for the pups and raw meet for the two Inus. This time Kagome didn't devour it in one breath but took her time, her manners finally kicking in. The dinner passed in silence and only after the kids were sent to their rooms to sleep, their personal maids in tow, did Sesshoumaru open his mouth:

'I promised to take you to the library. Come.'

So they stood and side by side, they made their way to the northern wing of the palace.

'This is my and my ancestors' library.' He said opening two huge oak doors.

The sight in front of her made her trip on her own feet. She was speechless. The library took the entire wing. There were shelves full of bounded parchments, _'their version of books I guess'_, occupying the entire ground level. Huge windows adorned the eastern, western and southern walls, comfortable chairs sitting under them to allow the readers as much light as possible. Oil lamps and lanterns were placed along the walls. The upper levels consisted in balconies that surrounded the entire room and had bookcases and shelves along them. The floor/ceiling between the levels was practically non-existing besides these balconies. The room's ceiling was all made of glass, allowing the light to fall directly on the cases and shelves. And of course, at night time, which was the case when the two had entered, was the best place in the castle to observe the stars and moon.

'I had never in my life seen such a huge library.'

At her dazzled look and impressed tone of voice Sesshoumaru responded with a snort.

'It is bigger than any libraries I have seen at home, in my village. I mean, sure we have more than twenty of them and I have been to almost all of them, but none was as big as this one.'

At her statement Sesshoumaru frowned. He knew of no ningen village with a library, but one with more than twenty? _'She is lying. __**But I cannot feel any trace of deceit in her aura.**__ Nor can I, but how can this be possible? __**We must ask. **__Or maybe she thinks of the time she was a Kami? __**No I do not think so. She said "village".**__'_

'What do you mean by "more than twenty libraries"? I have no knowledge of any human village that has a library, but you say yours has more than twenty? Do not deceive me, woman.'

'I do not deceive you, as I am sure you are well aware of it from my aura. The thing is Sesshoumaru, than I am … uhmmm … from the future, five hundred years in the future actually. I travel back and forth through the Bones Eaters' Well, which is situated in Inuyasha's forest. In my era, children are obliged to go to school and the public libraries welcome us. That is why I have seen almost all of them.'

The Taiyoukai didn't say anything. He was pondering all this new information when a question struck him.

'How were you able to come here in the first place?'

'I would answer "Fate" to that. But I will tell you the whole story. When I was sixteen years old I was dragged in the well by a centipede demoness, who apparently had sensed the Sikon no Tama, resting in my body. Since I am the reincarnation, or better said was, of the priestess that guarded it, Kikyou, I had the jewel in my body. So she took me in the well with her and brought me here in this era. I escaped by pulling the arrow pinning Inuyasha to the tree. He killed the demoness and saved the Shikon no Tama from being stolen.'

'He didn't let it being stolen but he allowed it to be broken. How did that happen?'

'Well, we were following a crow demon who managed to actually steal it and I shot an arrow at it, successfully breaking the jewel.'

'Your fault for what happened next with Naraku.'

'No. Naraku was formed from the human Onigumo, a thief who was in love with Kikyou. She had tended for him when he was badly wounded but she had feelings for Inuyasha. Onigumo sold his human soul in order for him to become a demon and gain the miko. He was the cause for her pinning Inuyasha to the tree to begin with. He would have come for the Shikon earlier, had he known were to look for it.'

After she finished telling him this, Kagome silenced herself. These were painful memories and to have to retell them was still tough. As the wave of grief rushed across her figure, Sesshoumaru did the only thing he could think of:

'Come. I will show you were the parchments about the Inu traditions are kept.'

Snapped out of her grief and pain, Kagome looked at him with a pain tainted smile across her beautiful features. She took her place next to him and they made their way to the two spiral staircases in the middle of the ground level. They climbed at the first level and walked to the nearest bookcase.

'These two shelves over here' he said pointing towards them 'contain parchments only with the dog demon traditions. I would recommend you to start with this one here.' Here he took one bounded parchment and gave it to her. On the first page she could read _"Traditions of the Inu youkai. From tea ceremony to mating rituals."_

'Thank you Sesshoumaru.'

'These two shelves over here, however, contain information about the royal Inu families. I suggest you read about them after you finish with the one you have in your hands for you are now a Lady of my House.'

'I will. I want first to know about dog demons generally speaking and after that I will read some of these.'

'Very well. Shall we take our leave than? Your training will start with the dawn tomorrow. So you will need some sleep after today's session.'

'I agree. Let's go than.' With that being said, Kagome and Sesshoumaru thither towards the western wing and their rooms.

'Do you wish to know what signifies the kimono you are wearing?'

'Huh?'

'This kimono was a gift from my father. He gave it to her in her early ears of being Lady of the Western Lands. The dog demon represented in its true form on the lower part is my father. He gave her this kimono as a sign she was his mate and she belonged to the House of the Moon.'

'Ohhh … I am sorry … I never knew. If I had known I would never put it on … wait … then if that is its significance, then why was it in my wardrobe?' as soon as this question escaped her mouth she turned a deep shade of red.

'There is no harm done in you wearing it. Though I must tell, I am curious as to why had you chosen this particular garment.'

'I wanted to dress in something that will represent both your House and me. I have found the attire to be the best choice.' She whispered, madly blushing.

'It suits you very well.' Sesshoumaru added, no emotion in his voice.

Kagome's face was by now beet red. And the compliment, though said without the slightest of the emotions from him, made her blush more if it was even possible. They arrived at her room's door and she was glad for she didn't know if she could keep him from seeing her blushing anymore. Sesshoumaru did see her face become redder and redder with each passing second and felt the embarrassment in her aura. They parted with an even 'Good night' from him and a hasty one from her.

The door closed behind her and she let out the breath she was holding in. She sighed, contented she was alone and could read and relax. So she undressed and looked for a night garment in her wardrobe.

When she was settled in her bed, Kagome took the book and opened it. Surprisingly, it had a sort of an index so she browsed through the names of the chapters. Upon reaching the title _"Mating traditions"_ her eyes widened in curiosity. So she started looking for the right chapter and started reading.

'_There are several steps in courting an Inu demoness, but the most important ones are the following ones:_

_The male offers to help the demoness with the training. _'He did this twice: once when he offered to teach me how to spare and once after my transformation. Though I was not aware of the ritual, so I guess it counts only the second time as a courting ritual.' _If the female accepts this offer than it means she has accepted the male's courting._ Here her eyes widened in surprise. 'I did not know that when I accepted. And I did it in both cases.'

_The male lightly touches the female in general areas like her arm or her back, so his scent would remain on her. That way, no other males will have any claims upon the female._ 'He did this too. When we were sparing today.'

_The female is presented with a gift. Usually it is either a garment in the colors of the male's family, or a weapon. _'He did not do this. So I guess that if I shall be presented with a gift from him I should not ask why.'

_The male will ask the female if she would accept to be his mate._

_The two would be bounded as mates for their entire life in the mating ceremony." _

'_The mating ceremony? I wonder what that means. And what happens during such a ceremony. __**Well what do you think it happens? What happened to you since you changed, lost your brain? Think, you twit. What could happen at a **__**mating**__** ceremony?**__'_ as realization dawned, Kagome blushed so furiously that she was sure Sesshoumaru could sense her embarrassment from his room.

'_She is reading about mating rituals. __**How could you tell? **__I can sense her embarrassment from here and she would not be embarrassed by the tea ceremony. __**Good point there. Come to think of it, why did you give her that parchment? **__I wanted her to know what will happen from now on. __**So what did you think as an appropriate gift for her? Will you offer her a garment or a weapon?**__ I have already decided upon it. I will take care of that in the morning. I will leave at dawn and hopefully I will be back at sunset. __**What about the training?**__ She will have to take a pause. I will allow her a day with the pups. They looked a little sad at dinner.'_

As these thoughts faded, both the Taiyoukai and Kagome drifted to sleep, although Sesshoumaru didn't properly sleep but more likely he slumbered.

Kagome fell into a deep sleep and had yet again another encounter with her past.

_Dream_

_She was walking through a forest following a small path. Upon entering into a clearing she saw four silhouettes under a very big and old maple tree: two males and two females. When she was close enough she could tell who they were: Inutaisho and Inuyasha were the two males, and the two females she could only guess as being Saisho and Izayoi._

'_Goddess of Fate' Inutaisho greeted her, bowing from his waist in respect._

'_Goddess, it is an honor to finally meet you. I am Saisho, former lady of the Western Lands and mate to Inutaisho.' She also bowed respectfully from her waist._

'_Beloved Goddess, the one I have heard so many things about but never until now had the opportunity to meet. It is an honor, great Protector of the House of the Moon. I am Izayoi, former Lady of the Western Lands and mate to Inutaisho.' After she finished speaking she bowed as the others did._

'_Kagome. What happened to you? How come you are a demoness now, and an Inu to that? Did you lose your miko powers?' was Inuyasha's greeting, no bowing and no respectful words._

_Upon seeing such a behavior from his pup, Inutaisho said:_

'_Son, show your respect to the Protector of our House and a Goddess at that. You shall never address her like that.'_

'_But I traveled with her four years. She is my friend and I protected her with all my might from harm's way.'_

'_She may have been your friend when she was a human girl. Now she is a Goddess.'_

'_Inutaisho-sama, do not chide Inuyasha for he means no harm. He is my dear friend. I thank you all for your warm and respectful words but I have to correct you with something. I am no Kami, and never will I wish to return to the holy realm again for they have wrong me too much. I have chosen and now I am a demon. Inuyasha, do you know why wasn't Sesshoumaru able to resurrect you with Tenseiga? It was because the Kamis wanted to teach him a little lesson, so they have decided to leave your soul go to the after realm. I am sorry for that.'_

'_Kagome-sama, you have nothing to be sorry for. It was not anybody's fault. And actually I was reunited with Kikyou, so I could fulfill my promise. I am sorry for hurting you so many times, Kagome-sama. And I thank you for your departing gift.' With these last words, Inuyasha bowed to the waist to her. _

'_So do you know why this encounter? Not that I do not find it pleasurable, but still I wish to know why the Kamis have indulged such a trespassing in my dreams. Or is it that they sent you?'_

'_Kagome-sama, the Kamis have indulged us passing as a form of apology. They are actually hoping you will return home if you see them repenting for their deeds.' Spoke Inutaisho._

'_I have no intention in forgiving them or returning to their realm. I have seen the Fate and I know I will stick to it now, as I did so many centuries ago. And my Fate is in the demon realm.'_

'_Kagome-sama, we were also allowed to visit your dream self for we have to make our choice: remain in the holy realm as spirits or reincarnate. We would not choose until we were able to speak with you.' Saisho said._

'_I wanted to ask you, Kagome-sama, have you seen my son's Fate? Will my blood line continue? Or will the House of the Moon end with him?'_

'_I have seen this, Inutaisho-sama, Saisho-san, and I can tell you that your blood line will continue and the House of the Moon will have an heir.'_

'_Kagome, the Kamis have suggested that both my souls and Kikyou's, shall we choose to remain in the holy realm or to reincarnate, will find their peace and will remain together, for we were soul mates. I have you to thank for this opportunity, Kagome. And please move on, for I have found my peace and if you will keep weeping, my soul will remain trapped in the human realm with no chance of finding its happiness.'_

'_I wish no such thing for you Inuyasha. You have been my friend and my first love. I will not allow this to happen because of me. I am happy you have found your peace alongside Kikyou in the holy realm.'_

'_Kagome-sama, all I have to tell you is "thank you". Thank you for taking care of Inuyasha and loving him. Thank you for mending his heart and helping him to understand humans' feelings better through you.' added Izayoi._

'_Kagome-sama, maybe you are wondering why Tessaiga has chosen you as its master.'_

'_Yes Inutaisho-sama, I have been wondering about that.'_

'_It was its choice and wish. When you have chosen to protect Inuyasha in that fatal moment and release your miko powers, my fang saw you as a true warrior and friend. It also understood that you have changed the situation and from protected you have become protector. Once with Inuyasha's death, it has chosen you as its master. I must say that I was surprised at the moment for choosing a miko to wield it, for I though your powers will purify it.'_

'_I will do it justice and I will wield it with honor.'_

_'Kagome-sama, we must return now, for we have been missing for too long. In the name of the entire House of the Moon, I thank you for everything you have done for us.'_

'_Does this mean it was the last time we would ever see each other again, Inutaisho-sama?'_

'_Yes. For it does not matter what we choose, we will not be able to communicate again.'_

'_Very well. Farewell Inutaisho-sama, Saisho-san, Izayoi-san and Inuyasha.'_

_Once she said this, the four of them faded, only to be soon replaced by another. This time it was Midoriko._

'_Kagome-sama, I have come once again for I must tell you this. The battle within the jewel is no longer balanced. You have to purify it with a selfless wish for I cannot fight for much longer. My soul is tired and longs for its peace.'_

'_Midoriko-sama, I will do my best to purify it. Tell me, what will it happen after I make a wish?'_

'_If it is a selfless wish, the jewel will turn a bright pink shade and will return in your body forever. My soul will find its peace and the demons within it will be purified, with no chance of returning to life. If the wish is a selfish one, the jewel will turn a dark red shade and my soul will be absorbed by the youkai. It will then shatter, allowing the demons free access in your realm. I trust you with this Kagome-sama.'_

'_I will help your soul rest in peace after so long.' And with this, Midoriko and the clearing disappeared, leaving her to the darkness of her sleep._

**_AN. : I want to thank you guys for reading and reviewing this story. I have thanked, I hope, personally to everyone but one person:_**

**_someone : thank you for reading and reviewing; I am glad you liked it so much as to ask for more, but could you please let your email adress next time when you review, if you do it again of course, so I could thank you properly ... I find it odd thanking my reviewers here _**

**_Ja ne._**


	9. Totosai

**_AN. : Hello eneryone ;) So here I am with a new chapter ... I hope you enjoy it ;)_**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters._**

At the first sunrays, Sesshoumaru woke up from his light slumber, dressed himself and left his room. When he was in front of Kagome's door he stopped and listened for her heartbeat and breath. When he was convinced she was sleeping, he entered, taking care not to wake her up. He went to her bathing area, took a piece of cloth and poured the contents of a flask on it and approached her bed. He bent over her form, gently put the cloth on her nose and mouth, _'Only one good intake of air and I can proceed.'_ and waited for the signs that he could remove it. When her heartbeat slowed down to an almost stop and her breath evened out as well, he moved away the cloth. With one hand he slowly parted her moth and with the other he grabbed one of her fangs and, using his inhuman strength, he pulled it out. Then he pulled off one of her hairs. He put both objects in a pouch and exited the room.

When he was in the hall, Sesshoumaru saw Kagome's maiden and called her.

'I want nobody, under any circumstance, to wake her up. Let her sleep more today. Do not allow the pups to make any noise that would disturb her, or come near her room. Understood?'

'Hai, Milord.'

'Discard this.' he said handing her the piece of cloth. 'Do not tell her I was here for I do not want her to know. And do not tell her of this.' he pointed at the piece of cloth. 'She is to know nothing. She will sleep some more hours because of this. When she wakes up let the servants bring her breakfast and then tell her she is allowed a day with the pups. No training today.'

'Hai, Milord. What shall I tell her if she asks about your Lordship?'

'Tell her I had urgent matters to attend to.' with that he took his leave.

When he was at his castle's gates, Sesshoumaru formed his youki cloud and flew away towards his destination. He watched as the landscape under him changed from luscious forests and vegetation, to wild flowers and green grass, to crops and villages. Around noon, he saw the rocky land and started his descend. He touched the ground in front of a rock-carved sort of hut and waited for the lower youkai to acknowledge him.

Right on cue, the demon came out of his cave-like cottage and bowed slightly.

'Sesshoumaru-sama, I have told you I will never forge a sword for you to battle Inuyasha for Tessaiga. You have wasted your time coming here.'

'Totosai, I did not come for that. I need a weapon for my intended. I want to offer it as a courting gift. My father gave my mother a kimono, but I wish to offer her a weapon.'

Totosai's eyes widened in surprise.

'Tell me more about your intended, Sesshoumaru-sama.'

'I am sure you know Inuyasha's wench.'

'Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru. Her name is Kagome. I know she was the one to kill Naraku.'

'Then you also know that Inuyasha is dead.'

'No, Sesshoumaru-sama, I did not know that. Tell me more about the girl.'

'She is the new wielder of Tessaiga. After Inuyasha died, it flew right into her hand and at her mere touch it pulsed to life. I was there, with Tenseiga drawn, trying to resurrect the half breed. When Tessaiga pulsed to life so did Tenseiga. They transformed in our hands: Tessaiga to its full potential and Tenseiga grew in length, something that never happened before. Then they bonded, both fangs changing and mixing their auras. Do you know how come Tessaiga allowed her to wield it and transform it?'

'It appears that Kagome did something to impress the sword. Both swords are alive. They choose their masters and even if they are given to somebody, if they do not find the wielder worth of them, they do not obey. Like Tessaiga did. It needed Inuyasha to tell the sword he wanted to protect Kagome with it, well more or less tell, it was an accident I assure you, but the sword saw the good heart your brother had and it granted his wish. He became the sword's master. It must mean that Kagome either impressed the sword with her powers or with her good heart. Do you know anything about that?'

'All I know is that she released a huge amount of power in her final blow to kill Naraku and save Inuyasha. She told me she tried to save him from Naraku's blow but didn't make it on time. So she killed the worthless half breed with a final attack.'

'That is your answer than. Kagome transformed from the protected into the protector. The sword saw her bravery, her determination and loyalty and also the amount of power she held and chose her as its next master.'

'Hn. When I found her, she was lying on the ground, badly injured, tainted jewel in a hand and broken bow in the other. Her power was brimming and healing her at a rate I never seen before in a human miko. Even if she was on the verge of death she was full of power, glowing a pink shade. And then she gave me my arm back and this' with this, Sesshoumaru pulled his haori and undergarment as much as it was necessary for the other demon to see his marking. Totosai's eyes bulged out of their sockets, shock written all over his face.

'She gave you that? She was the one to form that bond? It is not possible. It is a too powerful one for a human, no matter she is a miko or that she has the jewel. Not in her state of health. You know what that is, do you not?'

'Yes. I know what it is.'

'These bonds are so rare. In fact, the last bond of this type was between your father and the priestess Midoriko, the one who sealed herself in the Shikon no Tama with the hoard of demons to save your father's lands. But Midoriko died centuries ago. And she was more powerful than you are now. She held so much power and wisdom, that she was your father's equal. But their bond was kept a secret. Only Inutaisho's mate and me knew about it.'

'Hn. I was visited by her soul.'

'How could you been visited by her soul since it is trapped in the Shikon?'

'Kagome's body was too frail to contain so much power and the powerful bond we share now. So it has started to change into something more powerful, which would be able to house the amount of energy without hearting her. Midoriko's soul came the night Kagome changed and told me to stay near her and never leave her side during this transformation for it was vital. When dawn came we both were engulfed in a pink aura and then the transformation was over. She is now a white Inu youkai with the marking of the Goddess of Fate on her forehead. She was the Goddess herself and she told me that she had to choose between going back to her realm as a Kami or stay in this realm. She has chosen to remain. She has so many features I have and this is troublesome.'

'It is because of the bonding and because you were by her side when it happened. So Midoriko knew she would choose to remain here and told you to stay with her. The pink light that engulfed you was for her to complete her transformation. You see, her body would have changed into one of a demon but it needed a model to complete it, otherwise it would have been deformed or maybe she would have died. She took you as her model and she changed sporting your silver hair, your two stripes on her cheek, your golden eyes, your fangs and claws, your well toned and formed body, your ears, eyesight and hearing.'

'The claws and poison she had adopted previous to her transformation. Because of the bond I have purifying powers and she has my poison in her veins. But her eyes remained the same color they were before: black as the deepest night. And you are right. She has the two stripes on her cheeks, only they are black like her original marking, which is positioned in mirror of mine. She has the memories from when she was the Goddess and still has the element of Fate. I believe she said about herself she has become Fate and that is why it has not forsaken her.'

'And what kind of weapon do you want me to forge for her? Since she has Tessaiga and can wield it, I do not believe she is in need of another weapon. All she needs now is for you to train her in swordsmanship.'

'I want you to forge her a bow and arrows. It was her first weapon and as a miko demoness she will surely want to have one again. She is very good with this weapon and it might help during the tests the other lords will submit her to.'

'A bow? I have never forged such a weapon.'

'Shall I take it you will withdraw yourself from a challenge?'

'No Sesshoumaru-sama, I will take the challenge and forge you the most beautiful yet powerful bow you would ever see. I will only need one of your fangs and a piece of your hair.'

'I want you to use one of mine and one of my intended's fangs. Can you fuse them and use the result to make the bow stronger and more powerful? And for the string I have also one of her hairs and I will give you one of mine.'

'Yes, that will be better. And I will forge her some arrows too. I will inflict them with magic so that after they hit the target they will return in her sheath.'

'When will it be ready?'

'Come in a moon's cycle due time. I will have it done by then.'

'Very well. I take my leave now.'

'Goodbye, Sesshoumaru-sama.'

That being said, Sesshoumaru formed his youki cloud and flew back to his castle.

'_Hmmm … so it seems the great Lord has chosen a mate. And a powerful one to that. But will it be a wise bond? She is the Protector of his House, a former Kam__i. Is it a wise choice to mate her? Time will tell.'_

Kagome has spent the entire day playing with the children. She never noticed that one of her fangs was taken, for it had grown back before she woke up. She was currently in the garden with Rin and Shippou. She was seated under a sakura tree and watching them play.

'_Rin is such a lovely girl. And she is cute also. She would be a beautiful woman when she grows up. But what will it happen when she would die? I will see her die, for I am a demon now, and Shippou too. What will feel Sesshoumaru when that will occur? Will he still love her after she grows up and grows old? I know he loves her as his daughter. Will he feel hurt when she will die?'_

At these thoughts, her aura darkened because of the sadness she felt. She was unaware of it until the pups came to her and asked her if everything was alright with her.

'Yes Rin, Shippou. I am fine. I was just thinking. There is nothing wrong with me. Come on, let's go to dinner and then its bedtime for you.'

'Awww … will you please tell us a story?' both children said in unison.

'Yes, I will tell you a story. Now come on.'

During dinner no one spoke. She was still deep in thought and the children were thinking at the story she would tell them. They were happy to have her with them again and not train the entire day. When they finished eating they rose and walked to Rin's room. Kagome got them into the bed and started her story:

'_Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl, not much older than you are, who lived at a shrine with her family. One day, on her sixteenth birthday, she was dragged into the shrine's well by a centipede demon. When she emerged from the well, she was no longer in her home. She started running, for the demon was coming after her and saw a boy with a so cute set of doggie ears on his hea__d, pinned by an arrow to a tree. She took the arrow from his heart and broke the spell. At that moment the centipede demon caught up with them and the boy killed it.'_

She stopped for a brief moment to check them and saw they were fast asleep already. _'I guess they were really tired if they fell asleep so fast. __**Indeed**__.'_ She tucked them and kissed their foreheads before she slipped out of the room. She was going to her own room when she sensed his presence.

'Sesshoumaru. You are back.'

'Yes.'

'I trust everything is alright? I mean with the urgency you had.'

'I took care of it.'

'Sesshoumaru … I wanted to talk to you about something important. Is there any place we can talk without anyone overhearing us?'

'Come.'

Sesshoumaru and Kagome walked towards the eastern wing of the castle. He opened a small door, not as imposing as the other doors in the castle she had seen so far, and entered. The room was quite small, but cozy. It had a fireplace and some chairs in front of it. To the left there was a huge desk, very well kept and neat. Behind the desk there was also a big chair that looked as comfortable as heaven. In front, there were two chairs, not as comfortable-looking as the other one but still quite comfy. Sesshoumaru sat behind the desk and motioned for her to sit in one of the other chairs.

'This is my office. No one disturbs me here. We have privacy here.'

'But still every demon in your castle could hear us.' Kagome said. Before Sesshoumaru could say anything, she closed her eyes, clapped her hands in front of her chest in a praying stand and started chanting something. After she finished, Sesshoumaru could no longer hear anything outside the walls.

'I have put a soundproof barrier around the room. No one can hear us anymore and neither can we hear anything from the outside of these walls.'

Sesshoumaru didn't say anything. He just nodded and looked at her, no emotion on his face for her to read. But on the inside he was truly amazed she could do such thing.

'I wanted to talk to you about Rin. That is why all this was necessary.' she said pointing around as if trying to show the barrier. 'I know you love her as your daughter and I didn't want to say it in front of your servants and maybe put you in a bad light. I wanted to ask you what will happen to her when she will grow up. What will you do when she will be at age of mating? And even more, what will you feel for her when she will grow old and die?'

'When she will be of age I will let her find someone to mate with. And after that I do not know anything. She will leave with her mate and I doubt I will ever see her again.' Sesshoumaru kept his cold mask on but his eyes showed pain. He would never admit to anyone he would miss her and when she would die she would take with her a part of him.

'Sesshoumaru … I know how painful it is to lose someone you love. I truly loved Inuyasha … but I know not to grieve after him anymore and I know my life has to go on. But that does not have to happen to you and Rin. I can help you with that, if you allow me.'

'How can you help me with that? What can you do?'

'I have the Shikon no Tama. It will make any wish come true. And I know if you will agree of this it will be purified and Midoriko's soul will rest in peace after so many centuries.'

'And what did you think of doing?'

'I thought of transforming her into a demon. She would not be your heir for she will not bear your marking, but she will leave for centuries from now on.'

'Hn. And if I say no?'

'It is your call. If you do not want, I will never step on your word and decision. I will never press this matter again if that is the case.'

'Very well. You may proceed. And what kind of demon did you think for her?'

'That is not for us to decide. She will transform in the most suitable demon to her character.'

'Very well. You have my permission.'

'Now all I have to do is ask her and see if she wants it. For if she does not want to become a demoness I cannot wish it upon her. It would be a selfish desire and the Shikon will be forever tainted and Midoriko's soul would be absorbed by the youkai inside the jewel and they will be let loose in this world.'

'Kagome … there is something I want to ask you. I must go to an official gathering with the other lords for the winter ceremonies. This gathering will end with a ball. It would be held in the Est. I will take my leave in a moon's cycle due time. The question I have for you Kagome is if you want to attend this gathering with me, as my intended. I am sure you knew by now I have been courting you and meaning to ask you if you would agree to be my mate. If you choose to say yes, you would come with me and be introduced to the other lords as my intended. I do not wish to hide this from you, but before the mating ceremony, you will be submitted to different tests from the lords.'

'Sesshoumaru … I do not know what to say.' With that she stood from her chair and walked to the window, looking at the sky. Sesshoumaru stood also and came behind her, whispering in her ear:

'Surely you knew all this. I mean you have been reading the parchment I gave you last night.'

She turned around so abruptly, she tripped and lost her balance, falling into his hard chest. Sesshoumaru put his hand around her waist to steady her and spoke again, this time his breath caressing her bare neck:

'Will you give me an answer or do you need some more time to think?' his voice was by now low and grave, a tone of sensuality in it.

Kagome buried her face into his neck and inhaled his wonderful scent to calm down her raging heartbeat. Her face was flustered and it was so hot from all the blood rushing in her cheeks, that Sesshoumaru knew how embarrassed she was. He was surprised of this. _'She is so powerful and she has seen battles and deaths but she still gets embarrassed about this. How is it that she has kept her heart so pure after all that happened to her? __**Are you starting to fall for her? Is the great Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands falling in love with his intended? It would be such a crime for this to happen.'**_ his demon side said in a mocking tone._ 'Shut up. I will admit she has come to have an important place in my life. __**Hn.**__'_

Kagome couldn't look him into his eyes. She knew this would come into discussion, but never has she thought it would be so early. She had imagined it to be later on. At least after he gave her a gift, making his decision known to her and the other demons in the castle.

He put one clawed finger under her chin and raised her head gently to look her into the eyes. Once their eyes locked they felt as if hypnotized. Sesshoumaru looked into the bottomless pools of black ink her eyes were, then at her full rosy lips. She was biting her lower lip with such ferocity he was amazed she didn't draw blood until now. At the site of her luscious lips he felt the need to kiss them, taste them, so he gave up to his urge. He tilted his head and captured the girl's mouth in a chaste kiss but surprisingly she had responded back and kissed him also. So Sesshoumaru deepened the kiss by kissing every inch of her lips, licking them, begging for her to part them and allow him entrance. She opened her mouth and said one word:

'Yes.' And with that she allowed him the pleasure. Sesshoumaru caught her answer and was, for an unknown reason to him, happy. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, taking in every taste and scent. She moaned in pleasure and shut her eyes, drifting into a world of perfection.

When they parted he had one arm around her waist and the other on the back of her neck. She was cuddled at his chest, her head resting in the crook of his neck.

'Thank you for your answer.' He whispered in a husky voice.

**_AN. : Well I know Sesshoumaru is a little OOC, but how can you write him 'in character' when he starts falling in love? As for the talkative side he had while conversing with Totosai, it was because the forger needed as many information about the wielder of the weapon as he could get in order for him to make the weapon as suitable as possible with her. If you were asking what a moon's cycle means in my story, well it means about a month._**

**_A huge thank you to all the reviewers and one for someone. Thank you guys for the wonderful reviews._**

**_Oh and Tharrina, I hope you like the answers to your 'questions'._**

**_I hope you will keep reading and reviewing. Enjoy._**

**_Ja ne._**


	10. Wish

**_AN. : Hy everybody. I am back with another chapter. I know it took me long enough but I am sorry. My muse is such a pricky one. I hope you like this chapter. Enjoy._**

The following morning, Kagome woke up with a start. At first she couldn't remember where she was or how she ended up there, but after a moment or two, memories of last night started flowing in her mind. She was in her room, tucked under the sheets and bedcovers. _'Did I fall asleep in his arms? Did he bring me here and tucked me for the night?'_ These were her only questions, but as she could not remember, she dropped them for the moment and thought of their discussion about Rin. She was set on asking her during dinner time. _'But until then I have to put on my training clothes and go to breakfast. I don't want to make Sesshoumaru wait for me.'_

As she entered the room, Sesshoumaru was, as usual, already at the table waiting for her. They ate in silence and went to the garden for their usual meditation. While focusing on her inside emotions, trying to rein them, a vision came forth in front of her eyes.

'_Kagome … where are you__, my child? What happened to you? Are you alive or dead?'_

_It was a middle-age looking woman, black hair strewn with white hairs, sitting on a chair in her kitchen, her black eyes now red and puffy because of crying. _

'_Mother? I am here. I am alive and I am healthy. Nothing happened to me. Mama, do you hear me?'_

But as hard as she tried to speak with her mother, she couldn't hear Kagome and soon after that the vision dispersed, letting behind a worried sick Kagome.

'Sesshoumaru, I want to go home and talk with my mother. I have to tell her what happened. She is worried sick because of me and I miss her very much.'

'Very well. You will leave in a fortnight due time. Until then you have to train seriously for the tests the other lords will submit you to. Come now, it is time for us to start.'

'Sesshoumaru, will you come with me? I mean in my time … I want mom to see I will be safe and to meet you … I know she would like it also.'

'As you wish.'

That being said, they stood and walked towards the dojo. The morning session was now hand to hand fight. She was supposed to learn how to use her poisonous claws and whip into a fight without any other weapons. They were fighting as hard as they could, Sesshoumaru not allowing her any moment of rest. She was learning fast, but not fast enough for her to be able to fight the Lords in a moon's cycle due time. So he was pushing her to her limits, never going easy on her. And she was as stubborn as a mule, not asking for a break when she was not able to move anymore, but pushing herself more and more every time. When he decided to go back in the gardens for the meditation, Kagome was all covered in scratches, wounds and gashes from his claws and poison, her clothes torn on her legs and arms. Sesshoumaru was only sporting some very deep gashes but that was all. In fact, his wounds were that deep he couldn't stop the bleeding.

'I can help you with that.'

'I do not need anyone's help, woman.'

'You arrogant prick. I have infused your poison and purifying powers as well in those gashes. The purifying energy won't allow your demonic side to heal your body; it will only heal naturally, like a human would. And trust me it will take more that a few days to close those wounds. So, do you want me to help you or not?'

'Fine.'

Kagome walked to him and located the nastiest gash he had. It was on his chest, so she had to take his haori off. Seeing him bare-chested, she started blushing. She was so embarrassed, but still couldn't stop just staring. She caught herself in time though and fighting back her blush she put one hand over his gash. At the slight touch, Sesshoumaru flinched ever so slightly it would have gone unnoticed by a human's eyes but Kagome caught it.

'I am sorry. Stay still now.' and then she closed her eyes. She started chanting and gathering her healing powers in the palm she had over his gash and released them. She felt them stretch all over his wound stopping the blood's flow and repairing the tissue. A few minutes later, when she sensed that those wounds were healed she went to the others and one by one she healed the few scratches he had.

'Why wouldn't you heal yourself? You are in more need than I am.'

'Because my wounds are not bleeding anymore. My body is already healing them and even the deepest ones are almost healed. I think the combination between a demon and a miko helps a lot in healing injuries. Until the meditation is over, I will be completely healed.'

The day passed smoothly and Kagome found herself enjoying the second part of the training. She showed some inclination towards fighting with a sword and Sesshoumaru was thankful she was not a total klutz. She was, in fact, a fast learner and by the end of their training she learned the defending stance he was teaching her and she was able to deflect many of his attacks. She was improving.

'_Indeed she is a fast __learner and she is improving. But she does it slowly, too slowly. If she is to acquire swordsmanship by the end of the moon's cycle she would fail. She will most likely be able to defend herself and inflict some wounds, but she would never have a chance in front of the other lords. __**But the tests are not at the ball. We will only introduce her there, but she will be submitted to the trials when you would choose for it. **__That is correct, but I want her to be able to defend herself and be able to fight back any danger it might come to her. __**Are you expecting any of the lords or ladies to try harming her? Are you suggesting that it might be dangerous at the ball for our intended? **__I do not know who would be reckless enough to try and harm this Sesshoumaru or his mate-to-be. But I want her ready for anything.'_

Around dinnertime Sesshoumaru once again stopped the training and they went to the gardens. After their little ritual was over, they walked to their respective rooms to prepare for dinner. When Kagome came down from her chamber and entered the dinning room she saw that not only Sesshoumaru was already there, but Rin and Shippou also. Embarrassed she was late, she bowed slightly and said:

'I am sorry for keeping you waiting. I did not intend to do so. It was only because I had more difficulties with tying the obi.'

'Liu is your maiden. Did she not help you? I will see to it after dinner. She would be punished.'

'I told her I can handle myself. Besides, I had asked her to try and mend my training clothes for I have no others and they were quite torn after today's training. She was busy in repairing them so you need not to punish her.'

'Very well then. Come and sit down now. Let us eat.' Sesshoumaru said.

Dinner was quiet, too quiet. The pups were eating in silence, none of them saying anything. The silence was so thick she could hear anything in the castle. There were two servants talking in a nearby corridor about their choirs for the next day. In a room on the first floor, a servant was instructing two other in becoming her new maidens. Since Kagome heard her name, she paid attention to the discussion. The head servant was telling the other two she was their Lord intended and they must listen to every wish and request she had and to not let her do any choirs, not even dress herself. Kagome was pissed off. She was neither a Lady not was she a court lady to let everybody do things for her. She cast a sideways glance at Sesshoumaru and by the slight smirk on his lips and the expression in his eyes she knew he was eavesdropping in the same discussion. He was very curious as to what she would do or say about that. He knew she wasn't used to having servants, but she was about to become the Lady of the Western Lands, so she had to start acting like it.

'I will not let them do everything for me. I will still do things by myself.' She said calmly, not even looking at him.

Dinner went undisturbed and as they finished and the pups were about to leave the room, she stopped them. They remained seated and she closed her eyes, brought her hands in front of her chest as if praying and started chanting. Sesshoumaru and Shippou could feel the barrier being put up.

'Rin, I want to ask you something. It is very important so please listen to me.'

Rin said nothing, but her eyes clearly said _'I am listening.'_

'Rin, I want to ask you if you would like to become a demon.'

'I-I-I-I-

'It is fine. You do not have to answer right now. You can take some time and think about it. If you want it, I can grant that wish.'

'Why?'

'Because I know Sesshoumaru loves you as a father loves his daughter. And I know you love him as if he is your father. If you choose to become a demon, you would live longer than a human does; actually it is quite possible you never die, only if someone kills you. You would be close to Sesshoumaru and Shippou and me. Think of your answer before you give it to me.'

'Sesshoumaru-sama, what should I say? What do you think it is better?'

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to answer but Kagome beat him to it:

'He cannot tell you what to do. It is your and only your decision. You have to decide on your own.'

Rin looked at all of them. _'They are all youkai. They will live for many centuries from now on. Shippou is just a pup but soon he would start his training and I will be left alone. I will grow up and in a few years I will have to find a mate. I will age in time and die when my time will come. I just found my family and to be separated from them so fast would be as painful for me as I know it would for them all. Lord Sesshoumaru loves me. He never showed it or said it, but I know it in my heart. Kagome and Shippou treat me as their kin and she would be such a good mother. She is kind and careful with us. Shippou is just a child like I am. And he likes to play pranks to Jaken-sama and we always have fun and laugh. If I would be a demoness, I could start training with him and play more and develop our powers.'_ These were her thoughts. So after a while, she said:

'Kagome-sama, I would like to be a demoness.'

'Rin, are you sure about this? Because if you are not, I cannot help you.'

'Yes, Kagome-sama, I am sure.'

'Very well. I hope I still have your permission, Sesshoumaru.' He said nothing, only nodded, his face unreadable, but his eyes so intense and full of emotions. Kagome took the Shikon no Tama from around her neck and set it in the hollow of her hand. She looked at it and said:

'I wish for Rin to become a youkai.'

'_Your wish will be fulfilled.'_ whispered a voice.

The jewel turned a bright pink shade and right at that point everything around her turned black, letting her floating in the abyss of darkness with the Shikon as her only light. As if on cue to her thoughts, a silhouette appeared in front of her.

'_Kagome-sama, thank you. You have purified the jewel and set my soul free.'_

'_Midoriko, what will happen now? Where am I?'_

'_The Shikon will go back in your body, but it will never be used again. It has no other power now but to protect you. You are in the jewel right now. Do not worry, Kagome-sama, for you will return back in a moment. Because of your wish, my soul has gained its peace. But since I will leave this world, I wish to leave you a gift. It is my choice to bestow you with my wisdom and my swordsmanship skills, for I know you will need them in your future.'_

_As she finished talking, Kagome was engulfed in an amethyst colored aura. _

'_Thank you, Kagome-sama.'_

Before she could respond, she was again back in the dinning room, the jewel in her palm, engulfed in the same aura. Before the aura dispersed, the Shikon no Tama lifted from her hand and flew towards her body, disappearing at the mere touch of her skin.

After the jewel was once again in her body, powerless and purified, they all turned gazes on Rin. Her hair had grown a good length and turned silver with silver-blue streaks in it; her eyes were silver-blue; her hands ended in claws and she had also fangs; her ears were pointed like Sessoumaru's and Kagome's. She had grown in height also. She had a cute, silver, bushy tail also with silver-blue streaks. She was a silver fox youkai.

The many scents and smells and the noises she could not hear while a human rushed now towards her nose and ears and she was on the verge of passing out because of them. Kagome saw it so she caught her and said:

'Take a deep breath Rin. You know, the best thing to calm your senses and rein the new sensations is meditation. Now, sit down, cross-legged, and close your eyes. Focus on your inner turmoil and try to clear your mind and put an end to it.' Rin did what she was told and as soon as she was concentrating on her inner emotions Sesshoumaru said:

'You approve of meditation. I thought you did not find it good for anything.'

'I never said I didn't find it good. I know it is useful and it does miracles, especially in situations like this. It will calm her and teach her how to handle her new senses.'

'Yet you never approve of it when you have to do it.'

'It is not that I do not approve it. I find it calming, but not always. Because in these calm moments it so happens that I have visions, short ones and not clear enough to understand them fully. Visions of your servants' fates, of people I have never met, but clearly you did, for all of them have said something in your fate.'

'Hn. How could my servants have something to say in my fate?'

'Every person you meet, and it can be only for a brief moment, has something to do with it. They put their mark on your future, knowingly or not, even if you like it or not. It does not matter who they are.'

'Hn.'

'I do not like the meditation for I have these visions. And instead of being able to concentrate and calm my senses, I end up being more frustrated and unable to concentrate upon my tasks. But I will never complain about that. I would have never told you this thing if it weren't the case at hand. It is my destiny to be the demoness of Fate and I embrace it.' Kagome ended her explanation.

When their little conversation was over Rin opened her eyes. She was a little calmer than after the transformation and Kagome told her in a maternal tone:

'You will feel better in a few days. If you continue with your meditation every morning and evening, you will see that it would come easy for you. And besides, I know Sesshoumaru here will be more than happy to train you in using your senses and new powers.'

'I cannot train you personally Rin, for I have to train Kagome. But I will ask one of my most trusted generals to train you and the kitsune cub. Be ready tomorrow morning at dawn.'

'Sesshoumaru, you have to regard that they are mere cubs and they need to play. Do not occupy their entire day with tedious trainings, for they will grow sad.'

'Hn, this Sesshoumaru will do what he finds best for his pup. I suggest you either let yours join the trainings, or train him yourself.'

'Sesshoumaru, you can train them through games also. And I will demonstrate it to you.'

'You have no time. You must train yourself for you must be able to use the Tessaiga before the Lords' gathering.'

'Very well, do as you wish with Rin's training, but I will take care of Shippou's.' Kagome said, anger building up inside of her, her aura flaring all aroud. 'Shippou, I want you to train with Rin in the morning and after lunch, I want you to go in the field and play with your tricks.'

'Yes oka-san.'

'Rin-chan, Shippou, let's get you two to bed. It is long since it passed your bed time and I can see you can barely keep your eyes opened. Rin, you are more adorably than before. Do you know what kind of demon you have become? You are a silver kitsune youkai.'

'Really? I want to see how I look. Come Shippou let's hurry up. I want to see myself in a mirror.'

The pups ran to the door but could not exit the dinning room. Kagome went to the door and at her mere touch of the barrier it disappeared, allowing them to hurry up to their rooms.

'Why a kitsune youkai?' Sesshoumaru asked her coming from behind.

'It must be because of her mischievous character. I think it suits her very well, don't you?'

'Indeed. Kagome, thank you for this.'

'You are welcomed, Sesshoumaru.'

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to his chest and laid a butterfly kiss on her lips. He was amazed at his doing but the moment her body pressed against his he knew she belonged there, right next to him. _**'So you admit you love her?**__ I do not love her. I merely find her presence to my side acceptable. __**Then why do you keep her in your arms?**__ For she must accustom with me holding her. I do not want anybody at the ball to think my mate is embarrassed with me. It is a custom for the mates-to-be to act as familiar with each other as they can. __**Ooook. Keep saying that to yourself. But you will see the real meaning soon enough.**__ Hn.'_

Kagome was madly blushing at his touch. She knew they were going to be mated, but she could not fight back the rushing of the blood in her cheeks. She was embarrassed at the mere thought of them together, holding each other. _'I wonder if I am going to blush like this at our mating ceremony also. __**Someone is impatient. I think you will blush even more than now. Think of that well toned body of his over yours, kissing every inch of your skin- **__Oooh, shut up.'_ Just as her thoughts were turning to that direction, her scent changed and Sesshoumaru could smell her arousal and embarrassment.

'S-S-Sesshoumaru' she said with a small voice, trying to snap out of her naughty thoughts, 'can you please let go? I am tired and I would like to go to bed now.'

Sesshoumaru let go of her waist, a puzzled expression in his eyes.

'You do not have to feel embarrassed of this Sesshoumaru. We will be mated soon enough and there is no need to blush at my mere touch. We have to be comfortable with each other until the ball, or the other Lords will think you have not accepted my courting and will try to court you.'

'Why would they think that?'

'You avoiding my touch is a sign of rejection in youkai tradition. That means you are free to be courted by other youkai and they will not hesitate doing so. I cannot let the Lords think my intended rejected me. It would not do.'

'Oh …' she managed to say in a small voice. 'I will try my best Sesshoumaru.'

'Although I know you can defend yourself thanks to your tremendous miko power, you have to learn to use the sword before we arrive in the Est. I will not have any harm done to you.'

'Thank you.'

That being said they left the dinning room and went straight to their rooms. Kagome went straight to bed, pondering what he told her about rejection. _'He is right. I cannot show him any sign of rejection, not now and not at the ball. I must control myself when in his arms and not turn my eyes away because of my embarrassment. I must not give the other Lords a reason to think Sesshoumaru can not submit his intended. And as much as I hate it, I have to show him submission at the ball. __**That is the best idea you have had until now. But you must also show them you have pride and you do not submit to anybody else but your soon-to-be mate. **__That is exactly what I intend to do. __**And you have to keep your eyes opened, for there will be demons that will want you for both your power and beauty. You must learn the art of swordsmanship as best as you can in the next moon's cycle. **__I agree. I will work twice as much as until now.'_

Determined to be able to fight Sesshoumaru with swords and call it a draw in the end, she fell asleep. The dawn found her already dressed and ready to start the training. She went to breakfast, and to her surprise, Sesshoumaru was not there yet. She took her usual seat and did not have to wait for long. He entered soon after her and the servants brought them the breakfast: raw meet. They ate in silence and Kagome made to move towards the gardens for the meditation but Sesshoumaru stopped her and told her:

'You need no meditation in the morning. I trust it that sleeping calmed your mind and you can concentrate upon the task at hand. From now on you will need meditation only at lunch time.'

'Thank you, Sesshoumaru.'

They made it to the dojo and started their training. She was set upon giving her best and she concentrated better than until that point. The morning passed rapidly and the sparing session was upon them. Thanks to Midoriko's skill, she was able to stand her ground and inflict some shots but she was always the one ending up on the floor, her sword several feet away and the tip of Sesshoumaru's katana at her neck. As the days passed by, she improved very much and by the end of the fortnight, she was able to deflect all of his attacks, although she was not in the position to attack him for he could deflect her sword easily.

One night, after a sparing session, Sesshoumaru said:

'I believe that today is the last day of a fortnight since we talked about you going home. We will take our leave tomorrow at dawn, for it will take us half a day to get to Inuyasha's forest. I intend in staying no more than it is necessary.'

'Of course Sesshoumaru. We will not stay more than two days. Is that ok with you? I have some things to settle while there, for I do not know when I will be able to see my mother and friends again.'

'Two days seem satisfactory. Take your sword for it is not safe to travel without a weapon.'

'Hai, Sesshoumaru.'

That being said, they parted ways and went to their rooms, Sesshoumaru ordering their dinner to be brought in their chambers.

**_AN. : First of all I have to thank everyone who reviewed and all the people who read my story but didn't review. _**

**_Secondly, I feel like I have to explain something to you. Well I said in the third chapter that Kagome didn't know how to put down a barrier and that she didn't know how she put up the barrier around her and Sesshoumaru. And now in this chapter and the previous one she put up barriers as well as getting them down. The explanation is that the first barrier, the one in the third chapter was not put up by her, but by the swords, Tessaiga and Tenseiga, and she was the only one she could put it down._**

**_Ja ne._**


	11. Explanations

**_AN. : Hello. I am so sorry for updating so late. It's just that I had a lot of things to do, but hopefully I will be able to update sooner the next chapter. Besides, I had a little writer's block, but the next chapter should be no problem for me. Anyway, just enjoy this one._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own the characters. And the same goes for the previous chapter, for I forgot to add it then._**

They woke up at dawn as they usually did and had a quick breakfast. They would leave for the Bone Eater's Well as fast as they could, since it would have taken them more than half a day to get there. Out in the gardens, Sesshoumaru motioned for Kagome to come to him. He sneaked a hand around her waist and formed his youki cloud, taking off into the heights of the sky. They traveled in silence, Kagome by now used in some manner with his touch and determined not to show him any sign of rejection.

They arrived at the well late in the afternoon. She took his hand and they both jumped in, but nothing happened.

'I guess it does not work because our youki are too powerful. Lets jump out and I will try something else.' she told him.

Standing in front of the well, Kagome told Sesshoumaru to sit down as if meditating and she took a place in front of him. They were now sitting face to face.

'Now Sesshoumaru, concentrate on the miko powers you have from our bond and bring them forth in your right palm.' Sesshoumaru did as told and closed his eyes, concentrating on the raw purifying energy flowing through his veins. When he felt them, he took a hold on them and brought them in him right palm. Unknown to him was that Kagome was doing the same thing, only for her it was very easy to bring forth her miko powers in the palm of her hand. When they both were sure they did what they needed, Kagome spoke again:

'Now put the palm over my mark above my heart. Do not release the purifying powers, no matter what happens do not break the concentration and let them subside.' She put her hand over his marking and clapped his left hand with her bare one in a praying position and started chanting. As she finished, a bright pink sphere-like barrier entrapped them and lifted them in the air just above the well, darting towards its dried bottom. This time, blue and pink lights engulfed them and sent them both 500 years in the future.

As they arrived in Kagome's era they let the energy subside and stood. The air and noise rushed towards them and hit them tenfold making them stand still for a good couple of minutes. After they clarified their minds and bodies of these new and polluted scents and grew slightly accustomed with them, they leapt out of the well and walked to the front door of the house.

Kagome could tell, after sniffing the air once, that her entire family was in the kitchen having dinner. She opened the door and said in a sing-song voice:

'Tadaima, okaa-san.'

She discarded her shoes at the door and waited for Sesshoumaru to do the same before going to greet her family.

'Kagome, you are home. And just in time for dinner.' Her mother said standing up and turning towards her to give her daughter a hug. But Kagome's appearance was so changed she just froze on the spot.

'What happened to you? And who is this you brought home? He looks like Inuyasha.'

'Mom, this is Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands. I will explain everything after dinner. It is a long story. Actually that is why I came today.'

'Sesshoumaru this is my mother, this is my grandfather and this here is my younger brother, Souta.' He nodded to all of them in acknowledge, but never said anything.

Her mother bowed to Sesshoumaru in respect and went to the stove to put them each a bowl of soup.

'Mom, we won't be able to eat that. Do you instead have some raw meet?'

'O-O-Of course.' she said and went to the fridge to get them the meet.

After a quiet dinner, they got all the plates and dishes in the sink to be washed and Kagome's mother boiled some water for tea. When they all had a cup of steaming tea in front of them, Kagome opened her mouth:

'Mom … the story is long. I guess I will start with the beginning. I am a youkai now, an Inu youkai. Sesshoumaru is also an Inu youkai. The markings on his face are a sign he is of royal blood and he is the heir. He is Inuyasha's half-brother, from behalf of their father, the great Inutaisho-sama. Now I am telling you this because I am his intended. I am to be his mate.'

'How did you get to be a youkai? How come you are his mate-to-be and not Inuyasha's? I thought you loved him.'

'Inuyasha died two weeks ago in the battle with Naraku. I managed to purify the bastard but not before he laid the deadly blow on Inuyasha. I am now the wielder of Inuyasha's sword, Tessaiga. I have become a youkai …

The story went on until Kagome had told them everything. It was late in the night when she finished the entire story and made her family understand the situation. Seeing she was tired, she suggested they went to bed and talk some more in the morning. She stood, Sesshoumaru doing the same, and went towards her room. She was in the doorway when she turned around whishing to ask her mother where Sesshoumaru could sleep, but he just nudged her inside and entered also.

'I will sleep in your room. We have to accustom with each other anyway.' She blushed at his statement but she knew he was right. She took a pajama set from her closet and went to the bathroom to change. When she came back, Sesshoumaru was already lying in her bed, on his back. She stood there thinking about this a few moments when he motioned for her to climb in next to him. The bed was not that big, so Kagome had to curl up at his chest while he held her in his powerful arms. Blushing ten shades of red, she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

Morning came fast and they were both up at the sun's first rays. Kagome put on some modern clothes and they both went outside to practice their swordsmanship, since it was too early to go anywhere. A few hours and some slashes and gashes later, they made their way to the front door and into Kagome's room. She took a quick shower and showed Sesshoumaru how to use the bathroom. She was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast when her mother came down.

'Kagome, I couldn't ask you this last night seeing that Sesshoumaru-sama was in the room with us, but are you sure you are doing the right thing? I mean in becoming his mate.'

'Mother, I am sure. As I told you, I am a demoness. I can't come and live here even if I want to. And besides, I have the element of Fate. I saw his and I was his mate and had his pup. The heir of the Western Lands. And mom, I love him. I tell you this because I want you to understand my decision. But you are not to tell him about this. Fate has yet to unfold itself and in due time. For if he were to know, he might change the Fate, so please do not tell anybody about this.'

'I understand my child. You are old enough to take your own decisions. I do not question you further on this. But how will you go in town looking like a youkai? And what will you do about Sesshoumaru?'

'I can put a spell on both of up but it will only last little time, like a few hours. That is why I told you I cannot remain in this era.'

'And what do you want to do today?'

'I already called Ayumi, Eri and Yuri. We will be meeting them in the park and I will explain them that I am getting married and I will be moving out from the country. And I will introduce Sesshoumaru to them. Then I want to go to the school and talk with the principal. I have finished high school, but I still need to take my papers and degree from there, so I was thinking of doing that today.'

'Ok, honey. Do you want to go shopping also? Maybe take something for Shippou?'

'Yeah. And something for Rin too. She is Sesshoumaru's daughter, I told you about her, didn't I?'

'Yes. The one you used the whish to purify the Shikon no Tama on.'

At this point in conversation, Sesshoumaru entered the room.

'Sesshoumaru, come here please. I am going to put a spell on both of us for our youkai characteristics to disappear from human's view. Basically only youkai could see our true forms, but I really doubt there still are ones in this era.' She started chanting and when she finished she gave him a little peck on his lips. Just as their lips parted, their appearance changed, but only for the human eye. Kagome's hair was black as the night, she was as high as she had been as a human and her claws, fangs and pointed ears were hidden also. Sesshoumaru remained basically the same, only his claws, fangs and ears were hidden and his clothes changed into something modern: a pair of baggy pants and a t-shirt.

They ate breakfast and as soon as they finished they were out the door. Kagome decided to walk to the park they were meeting her friends, seeing she was used to it from the Feudal Era. The sidewalk was crowded and Kagome had to look every two minutes after Sesshoumaru so they won't get separated. Every girl they were passing by would stare at him and push her away from him. Seeing it was quite hard to stay near him she did something that surprised them both. She took his hand, entwining their fingers together. Sesshoumaru looked at their hands and then at her. He didn't have to ask, for she understood his puzzlement and said:

'It is a custom here for couples to hold hands and since we are mates-to-be this will help us getting used to each other.' He didn't say anything, but nodded once and turned his eyes ahead of them once more. By her scent he knew she was embarrassed but also angered.

'Why do I smell anger in your aura?'

At his question, Kagome blushed and turned her head away from his prying eyes.

'Because all the girls look at you with adoration and try to separate us. They all flirt with you even if they see you are taken. And they send me nasty glares, so I got angered.' She replied in a whisper, embarrassment now overwhelming her scent and aura.

Nearing the park, the amount of girls was even greater and at some point Kagome was nearly thrown to the ground by a rude girl, who was glaring at her and sending sweet smiles and looks towards Sesshoumaru. To the girl's desperation, he stopped, helped Kagome to his side and snaked an arm around her waist. At his touch, Kagome's anger subsided and she looked at him in puzzlement.

'It will help with keeping your anger under control. It will not do to kill all the girls because they are jealous and try to win me. This way, we won't get separated again. I will not let go of you. You just point the direction.'

'Ok. Thank you.'

They kept walking and in no more than ten minutes they were in the park, meeting Kagome's friends.

'Eri, Ayumi, Yuri. Ohayo.'

'Ohayo, Kagome.'

'Hey, this is Sesshoumaru Taisho, my fiancé.' Kagome said to the girls, whispering to him: 'I took the liberty of giving you the Taisho name for them to not get suspicious.' He nodded, letting her know he understood.

'Ohayo, Sesshoumaru Taisho-san.'

'Sesshoumaru, these are my best friends: Ayumi, Eri and Yuri.'

'Ohayo.'

'Kagome, so you are getting married? But I thought you were sick, how did you get to meet Sesshoumaru-san?'

'Hehe … well I was –

'She was in the hospital and I was visiting a relative. I saw her in a room all by herself, bored and sad and went to speak with her. That was how we met.'

'Yeah … and since then he came everyday to the hospital to see me.'

'Wow … talking about romance.' Ayumi said giggling. 'Kagome, you look very good. So when is the wedding?'

'Well that was what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, we will leave for America in a couple of days. We will get married there and also move there for the rest of our lives. I wanted to see you guys today to say goodbye.'

'Ohhh … Kagome, you are leaving? We will never see you again?'

'Unless you come to America, no, we will never see each other again. I am sorry, but Sesshoumaru has his business there and he cannot move here.'

'Yeah, we understand. Well, Kagome, we wish you all the best in the world.'

'Thanks guys. I wish you the same. Good luck with college, OK?'

'Thank you.' All three girls said.

They said their goodbyes and left. Kagome and Sesshoumaru left for Kagome's school so she could get her diploma. She wouldn't need it but she was not going to let it in the school. She will give it to her mother and should they ever meet again she will take it back then.

It was already lunch time when they left the school, so Kagome suggested they go and eat. Although they were not hungry, she wanted to show Sesshoumaru as much as she could of her era, so she guessed that a restaurant was a good point to start from. She took him to a small, but cozy, restaurant, where they could eat traditional Japanese food. Seeing that he was not accustomed with the dishes, she ordered for both of them. While they were waiting for the food, Sesshoumaru noticed she was sad and asked:

'Why are you sad?'

'Because I will never see my friends again. Nor will I see my family. I have decided to destroy the well after we return to Feudal Era. It is best to do it, for I do not want anybody to find out about it and try to use it.'

'A wise decision.'

'I will miss them all, so that is why I am sad. I think we should return tomorrow morning to your castle. I promised I will not take more than two days. So I will pack some essential things tonight and we can return tomorrow morning to your era.'

'Very well. If you want to stay longer, we can remain for another day.'

'No, it will be even harder for me if I stay one more day.'

'Kagome? Is that you? It is. How are you feeling? Your jii-san said you were in a hospital for a long period of time because of your most recent disease.'

'Hojo? Hello. Well I was in the hospital, but now I am fine. I would like to introduce you Sesshoumaru Taisho, my fiancé. Sesshoumaru, this is Hojo. We used to be classmates in school.'

'F-F-F-Fiancé? But Kagome, I thought you will marry me. How did you meet this guy anyway? How do you know he is not a serial murdered?'

'Hojo!! How can you speak such nonsense about my fiancé? I met him while I was in the hospital. He came to see me everyday since that day. And of course I know him. I trust him with my life.'

At her last statement, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened just a fraction. He was not expecting that from her. Of course he knew they could trust each other, but hearing her saying that to another male, in front of him awestruck him.

'Hn. You should leave, human. You are disturbing my fiancée with your preposterous statements. Leave now and no harm shall come to you.'

'Harm? Who do you think you are? The president? If anything happens to me I will call the police. Kagome, honestly, you should come with me. It is not safe for you to remain with him.'

Kagome by now was standing from her chair. She was pissed off because of Hojo and his remarks. He mistook her action though as if she wanted to leave the restaurant with him and took a hold on her left arm. She yanked free her arm from his grasp and turned to face him. When Hojo looked her square in the eyes she raised her right arm and with a fraction of her demonic power she slapped him senseless across his left cheek. The force of the slap sent him but first on the floor.

'No one is to speak with my fiancé like that, do you understand? You are not my family to tell me what to do, either. I suggest you shut up and leave right now, or else I will ask the owner of this restaurant to call the police and tell them there is someone harassing his clients. I can take care of myself very well, thank you. And to your information, Sesshoumaru is not a criminal and never will he be one. I am moving with him out of Japan tomorrow and nothing can stop me. You are a pathetic person, Hojo, trying to take me away from the only person that would protect me from everything and would most certainly die doing it, if that should be the case.'

'I told you to leave.' Sesshoumaru added as an afterthought.

Hojo stood from his place on the floor and left without even saying goodbye. A little later their food came and they started eating, though they, being youkai, could not enjoy the food very much. After they ate and paid for their meal, Kagome and Sesshoumaru stood and left for her home. She had some packing to do and some goodbyes to say to her family. She hoped neither she nor Sesshoumaru, Shippou or Rin would die in the war she knew to come between humans and demons. Remembering of Rin and Shippou, she changed her plans and they went to the nearest store to buy something for them. After shopping was done, they finally went home.

She went in the kitchen and told her mother, jii-san and brother of her leaving.

'Mother, jii-san, Souta, I will return tomorrow with Sesshoumaru in the Feudal Era. I want to tell you that I will destroy the well, for I do not want anybody to try and use it for evil matters. Sesshoumaru is the Lord of the Western Lands, as I already told you, and he has enemies as every Lord has. Me being his mate-to-be could be considered as an advantage for them. They could try and harm me or try and use the well if they found out about it. It is of utmost importance to have it destroyed. I will no longer be able to come and see you nor will I be able to find out anything about you. I guess you would still have the history books and the legend books and you can find out about us from there.' Kagome was by now crying herself a river.

'Kagome … I cannot tell you what to do and what not to do. It is your path and if you consider destroying the well the best way to protect both us and yourselves, than I suppose it is a good thing. But I do know my heart will ache after you, my girl. I am proud of you, do not ever forget that. And be a good mother to Shippou and Rin. The only thing I regret is that I will never be able to see my grandchildren, being them Shippou and Rin, or your own.' her mother said, tears pouring down her cheeks.

Her grandfather and brother both said their goodbyes, also crying.

'Sesshoumaru-sama' Kagome's mother said before they all went to sleep 'please take good care of my daughter. I love her very much and I leave her in your care. I trust you with her life, for if I hadn't, I would never let her leave this house or destroy that well.'

'I will protect her with my life. I will not fail my mate.' At his words, Kagome's eyes widened to the point they would pop out of their sockets. She could not believe what she just heard. _'Could it be that he loves me also? It is the first time I hear him saying he would protect me with his life. __**Yes he is more emotional that he ever was. There are high chances he loves you also.**__'_

'Mom, we will leave at dawn for there is a long way to our castle from Inuyasha's Forest. There is no need in you getting up to say goodbye in the morning.'

'Goodbye my daughter. Remember to honor your mate and love him. Be a good and obedient mate, Kagome and raise your children with love, respect and manners.'

'I will mother. Thank you for everything. I love you all.'

That being said, they parted their ways and went to each of their bedrooms, Kagome and Sesshoumaru going to her room. She finished packing some undergarments and also some shorts and t-shirts and went to her bathroom. She took her soap, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, her toothbrush and toothpaste and came back. She packed everything and then went to bed, lying next to her intended.

At dawn they went to the well, they took their positions on the ground again and Kagome started chanting, the sphere-like barrier entrapped them and shot through the well, taking them five hundred years into the past. When they got out of the well, Kagome asked Sesshoumaru to use his Tokijin to destroy her only way back to her era and family. After the well was blown to pieces by the demonic attack from Sesshoumaru's sword, he formed his youki cloud and they flew away.

The next fortnight passed quite fast. Kagome and Sesshoumaru would train in the dojo every day as they did before going to her era. She was now able to use Tessaiga's attack so the days were now longer and more tiresome for her. At the end of the moon's cycle, Kagome was able to stand her ground against Sesshoumaru's attack and fight him back, even managing from time to time to disarm him and win.

One evening, after they finished their daily training, Sesshoumaru said:

'I am pleased of your progress. No other Taiyoukai will be able to defend you in a sword fight if you use your miko powers as well, as we did in training. However, you are far from having learnt everything about swordsmanship. Tomorrow we will be leaving for the Lords' gathering. But first we will be stopping to collect your gift.'

'My gift? What gift?'

'I am sure you have read in the book I gave you after your transformation, about Inu youkai traditions. One of them obliges the male to offer the female he courts a gift, and that is the gift I was talking about.'

'Ohhh … yes of course I remember reading about it. And what is it?'

'You shall find out tomorrow.'

'Fine.'

That being said, they went to their rooms to prepare for dinner and to tell their servants what kimonos and other things they would need on their trip.

**_AN. : I want to thank everybody who reviewed the last chapter. Also I want to tell you that I will try to finish this story as fast as I can for this school year is very important for me and I would not have time to write later on. I would not feel good if I will be overwhelmed by my school and leave this story hanging so hopefully in a month or two I will end it. _**

**_That being said, ja ne._**


	12. The Lords' Gathering

**_AN. : Hello everybody ... I am so sorry for not updating in such a long time but I have a surprise for you: this chapter is almost twice the length the other chapters were ;) I hope that you will forgive me seeing how long and, I hope, good this chapter is. I must tell you that I like it very much . _**

**_Disclaimer: Nope, I do not own the Inuyasha show or the characters. _**

* * *

As they came down to dinner, Kagome and Sesshoumaru met on the halls and decided they would tell the pups everything after they eat. After all, they were entitled to know that the two dog demons would be mates in a not too distant future. They entered the dinner area together, side by side, for the first time. They sat down and patiently waited for the two kitsune. 

When the pups were seated at the table Sesshoumaru spoke:

'Rin, Shippou, tomorrow I will be leaving for the annual Lords' gathering. Kagome, as my intended, will be coming along. I want you two to behave while we will be missing.'

'Intended? You mean Kagome is going to be your mate?' Shippou, the braver from the two of them said. The kids' eyes were by now threatening to bulge out of their sockets.

'Hai, Shippou-chan.' Kagome said.

'Rin, I will ask your servant to look for a book upon kitsune traditions for you. Shippou, for you I will ask Rin's former teacher to teach you how to read and write and after you will have been mustering them, I will appoint a book for you about fox demons' ways of fighting. It is high time you two start acting like proper kitsune youkai.'

'Ano, Sesshoumaru-sama, I already know how to read and write. Okaa-san taught me some long time ago.'

'Very well. Then I shall have a book for you also. When we return I want you to have finished reading them.'

'Hai.' the two pups chided in unison.

That being said, the dinner was finished and they stood, each of them going to their respective chambers.

Dawn came fast and the two Inus met in the dinning area. After a quick breakfast they got outside, going straight to the gates. Kagome, upon seeing they were leaving without even taking their clothes, asked:

'Sesshoumaru, what about our kimonos and other necessary things?'

'Liu will come with them. She will leave today on Ah-Un with our garments. She will arrive before us and she will tend to our chambers. She will remain to help you with everything.'

'And how are we going to travel?'

'We are to travel on my youki cloud. We will first stop to pick up the gift and then we will be directing towards the Eastern castle. The delay should be enough for Liu to get there before us and prepare everything. Usually many high ranked youkai come to this gathering and tell their problems to the Lords. After that a ball will be held in celebration of the winter. A day or two after the dancing, the four Taiyoukai and their mates will meet to discuss upon the problems of their lands. You will be part of this last meeting. You are allowed to speak up when you have an idea or a suggestion. They will respect you for being my intended and a Goddess. You will be listened very carefully.'

At his last words, Kagome went speechless. She could not believe that her words would be taken seriously by the most four important youkai in the entire country. Seeing she was not going to ask anything else, Sesshoumaru formed his youki cloud, motioned for her to come and stand in front of him so he could embrace her and took off. They traveled towards southeast for the better half of the day until they arrived at Totousai's rock-carved sort of hut. They waited patiently for him to come out of his humble cottage.

'Good afternoon, Sesshoumaru-sama, Lady …'

'Good afternoon. I am Kagome.'

'Lady Kagome. So I finally meet you.'

'I did not know I am so famous.'

'Your fang has told me many about you. Lord Sesshoumaru, the gift is ready. I will bring it now.'

'Very well.'

A few moments later, Totousai was back, holding a bow and a sheath of arrows. Upon seeing the piece in Totousai's hands Kagome's eyes widened in awe. The bow was crafted from two fangs entwined one with the other. One was icy-blue, the other was fiery red. The bow's string was also made of two actual silver strings, entwined in an intricate manner. The arrows were made of the same entwined fangs, only that their heads looked to be pure metal.

'This bow is made of yours and Lord Sesshoumaru's fangs and hairs. The colors of the fangs represent your personalities. The ice-blue fang is Lord Sesshoumaru's. It has taken such a color for his personality and character are icier. The fiery red one is yours, Lady Kagome. It has taken this color for your character and demeanor are passionate. The arrows are also made of your fangs. Their heads are made from pure steal. You will not be disappointed. The weapon is named Jounetsu. I have infused it with the power of the four elements: water, fire, air, earth. The arrows are infused with my own magic, so that once they hit their target they will return to your sheath. This way, should you use Jounetsu in a battle you will never run off of arrows. Also, due to your bond and to the fact that the bow is forged from both your fangs, it will alert you, Lady Kagome, should anything happen to Lord Sesshoumaru when away.'

'Thank you, Totousai-san. It is gorgeous.'

'Do not thank me child. Thank Lord Sesshoumaru, for it is he who has asked me to craft this piece of work. I must admit it is the first bow I ever forge, but I trust I did not do a poor job with it.'

'No, of course not. It is magnificent. I can feel its aura tugging at mine telling me to try it. Thank you Sesshoumaru. You couldn't have gotten me a better gift than this one.' This being said, she turned towards him and kissed him on his cheek. 'I hope you have no objection if I try it?'

'Of course not, Lady Kagome.' She turned to her left, knotted an arrow in her new bow, poured some of her purifying powers into it, took aim, and after deciding upon a top of a mountain, she released it. Upon contact, the mountaintop blew up and large pieces of rock came flying their way. Kagome immediately started chanting, putting up a powerful and large enough barrier to reject them.

'Wow … Jounetsu is very powerful. I tried using human made bows lately, but they would always snap in my hold since I gained the power of a youkai.'

'I find the bow and arrows acceptable. Kagome, we must leave now if we are to arrive before sunset at the Eastern castle.'

'Ok. Farewell, Totousai-san. Thank you once more. It is perfect.'

With that, Sesshoumaru gathered her in his embrace, formed his youki cloud and took off. For the rest of the day they traveled in silence. Due to they prolonged staying at Totousai's cottage, they did not arrive at their destination before sunset but quite late in the night. When they finally touched down in front of the Eastern castle's gates, every light was out, a sign that the Lord and Lady were sleeping. They were let in by a guard. Upon their arrival at the front doors, Liu came forth and showed them to their room.

'We will be sharing the same room for this is the custom in youkai society.' said Sesshoumaru.

'I know.' she added softly.

'Your garments are already arranged in the wardrobe. Your dinner is waiting for you in your chamber. I bid you good night, my Lord and Lady.' With that she let them in front of a massive oak door. He pushed open the door and they entered. The room was huge, its high ceiling permitting a dog demon in its true form to inhabit it. The walls were painted in black with silver silhouettes of Inu youkai all around the room. The floors were made of black marble. The bed was posted in the middle of the room and it was huge. It had silk sheets that, unlike everything else in the room, were the color of silver. The wardrobe was on the left side of the bed and on the right side there was another door, which Kagome guessed to be the bathing area. The right wall from the bathing door was all made of glass and right across from the bed was a fireplace. All in all, the room was beautiful, simpler than what Kagome was accustomed with in Sesshoumaru's palace, but nonetheless beautiful.

They ate in silence and after they finished, Kagome said:

'I will go have a bath.' She exited the door and a minute later you could hear a very happy Kagome splashing around water and giggling. When she got out Sesshoumaru was already in the bed, wearing some black silken pants and no haori. He was sitting there, a bored expression on his perfectly carved face. When she saw him shirtless, Kagome's cheeks turned a violent shade of red and averted her gaze from his well toned chest.

'You should not feel embarrassed when seeing me shirtless. Remember that any improper sign will be taken as a rejection from your behalf and other youkai males will court you. Now come in bed. You should rest for we had a long journey.'

'I do not feel tired. All the excitement of my new weapon and of this place makes me restless. Are you tired? Will you sleep tonight?'

'I will not. I barely need sleep and I have slept while in your era.'

'Would you mind if I ask you to tell me more about these days and the gatherings? So I know what exactly will happen and how I must act.'

'Very well. Tomorrow morning, the four Taiyoukai will meet in one of the castle's rooms. We will be receiving our subjects that are coming to complain upon different matters and problems in their villages. The whole day will go by like this until around sunset. Then we will separate, come and freshen up, get dressed and take our mates or intendeds and go to the ball room where the dancing will take place. First there will be dinner, the four Taiyoukai and their mates will be sitting at a table in the middle of the eating area. At the tables foremost close to our table will be seated the lower lords and ladies. The remaining tables will be occupied by the other youkai and guests. After dinner is over, we, the Lords and Ladies, will have to officially open the dance. We will have to dance in front of everyone and after we finish the other youkai can join. I trust you can dance, can you not?'

'Yes I can dance. What happens if one of the Taiyoukai is not mated or does not have an intended?'

'He will not dance in the opening.'

'You mean that you never danced the first dance alongside the other three Taiyoukai? This is the first time?'

'Hai. If one of the Taiyoukai is not mated or does not have an intended he is not allowed to open the dance. For if he were to choose from the guests that would mean he chose his mate-to-be.'

'Speaking about harsh living conditions.' Kagome muttered.

'After the dance is officially opened most of the rest of the night will be spent dancing and talking. There will be of course some intervals when fruits and sweets will be brought in the room, but that does not require for everyone to be seated. If you want anything to eat you just go and help yourself. It will probably be at around dawn when this ordeal will finish and the next day will be a leisure day for everybody. The youkai will probably spend it by sleeping, but I plan in training and I mean the both of us. You will have however the morning free to sleep after a tiresome night. The third day will be the most important one. The Taiyoukai and their mates will be meeting to discuss the problems from their lands. You will also attend this gathering. You will wear your training garments and both Tessaiga and Jounetsu.'

'Won't the other Lords and Ladies feel offended if I come with the weapons at such an important meeting?'

'Iie. They would feel offended by the small number of weapons you carry, if they would not be forged by Totousai.'

'What do you mean? I know the weapons he crafts are very powerful, but he must have forged the Lords and Ladies weapons also.'

'Iie. We are the only two persons that have such weapons. And you will be respected even more for you have two of them.'

'But how is it that Totousai did not forge weapons for the others as well?'

'It is a long story, but time we have. I will tell you a story. Long time ago, just barely after the world was created with all its beings, being them youkai, humans or other creatures, chaos ruled over these lands. For many centuries the youkai and humans have hunted each other down until the point of nearly extinction. Then four Elders have arisen. They were the most powerful creatures on earth. They brought order in the chaos by creating the whole system that runs now in the country. They were the ones creating the Taiyoukai.

The four Elders were as it comes: Totousai, the Elder of the West, Izanami, the Elder of the North, Izanagi, the Elder of the South and Hideki, the Elder of the East. Each Elder wielded and mended the four elements: water, fire, air, earth. But each one of them had a unique power. Izanami had the power to bring in any region of the lands food, being it crops or game. Izanagi was able to bring even in the driest land water and transform it into a spring or river. Hideki was able to build shelters, huts and castles. Totousai was able to forge weapons and jewelry. As you can see the four of them together brought the most important things in one's life: food, water, a roof over one's head and a weapon to protect oneself.

Time has passed and the Elders were slowly forgotten. When my father was in his early years of being a Taiyoukai and just after the Goddess of Fate, you, has visited him, he went to Totousai. He asked him to craft a jewel in the form of a crescent moon, made of black opals, hung on a silver necklace. He told him that he needed the jewel to represent his house and that he will give it to his mate the morning after the mating ceremony. The Elder agreed and crafted it. My father took the jewel and told Totousai that if he ever needs anything to just come to him and ask for he shall receive it.

Time passed and my mother has received the jewel as Inutaisho said and since that day she never took it of. When she died, my father took the jewel and centuries later gave it to his new mate, Izayoi. She wore it with pride until one day when some demon managed to trick her into a forced sleep and steal it from her. The demon was fool enough to go to Totousai with the jewel and ask him to forge the most powerful weapon ever in its exchange. Totousai agreed and took the crescent moon jewel. After the youkai left, the Elder came to father. He gave him back the stone and told him who has dared to steal it. Upon finding what the forger has done, the fool youkai proceeded in attacking him, forcing him to go to Inutaisho for help. Father killed the excuse of a demon.

Totousai then took an oath: he swore he will never ever forge weapons in his life with the exception of the Taiyoukai of the west. He will continue forging weapons for our pups and our pups' pups. But never will he craft something for another youkai, being it a Taiyoukai or not.'

'Wow. I never knew this story. And to hear that Totousai is one of the Elders and maybe one of the most powerful living creature on earth changes my entire opinion on him. What happened with the other three Elders?'

'They are still alive. They live in their respective lands. But no one with the exception of the higher ranked youkai knows about them anymore. The lower youkai and the humans think that it was only a story. Now that you have satisfied your curiosity, I trust you will sleep. You will have a tiresome day tomorrow for I want you to keep practicing swordsmanship in the morning. And you can also practice your archery with Jounetsu. You can practice in the garden for you will have no partner for sparing. I only want you to redo the fighting moves and figures. For the other part you can ask the Lady of the East, Chiyo, to allow you entrance in the dojo.'

'Hai, Sesshoumaru. I will be up at dawn as usual. Will I still find you in the room or will you already be at the meeting?'

'I will probably be on my way to the gathering.'

'Good night, Sesshoumaru.'

'Good night.'

With that, Kagome settled down on one of her sides, her back to the Taiyoukai, towards the far end of the bed. Although the fire was burning in the fireplace and the sheets were covering her up to her chin, Kagome still seemed to shiver slightly. Upon seeing her, Sesshoumaru wrapped an arm around her small waist and pulled her in his hard chest. He was radiating heat as if he was the fireplace itself. She looked up in his eyes and then turned around, facing him, cuddled at his bare chest and buried her face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his soothing scent. Needless to say she fell asleep immediately. When her heartbeat and her breath evened out he brought his nose in her hair, her strong scent of newly blossomed sakura flowers overtaking his senses and almost immediately sending him in a light slumber.

At dawn, Kagome woke up with no difficulty. Upon opening her eyes she saw Sesshoumaru already bathed and dressed, preparing to exit the room.

'Kagome, remember to train today. And stay out of troubles.'

'Hai, Sesshoumaru.'

As soon as he was out, Liu entered the chamber, a plate of raw meat in her hand for Kagome to eat.

'Liu, I want to go in the gardens to practice after breakfast. Will you show me the way there? And also, will you stay with me?'

'I will show you the way there, Lady Kagome, but I cannot remain with you. I have my choirs to do.'

'Ok, Liu, I understand. Did you pack me my training garments?'

'Hai. I have taken four sets of them, for I did not know how many you will need.'

'That is great. Arigatou, Liu.' She ate her meat and then put one of the four sets of garments on, strapped Tessaiga on her waist and put Jounetsu and the arrows on her right shoulder. That done, she was guided by Liu out of the great castle and into the gardens.

Being left alone, Kagome put the bow and arrows down under a cherry tree next to her and unsheathed Tessaiga. She closed her eyes and started training as Sesshoumaru told her to, occasionally letting her aura flow around her. It was late in the morning when she sensed the aura of a demoness approaching Jounetsu and trying to hold it, so she spoke up:

'Touch it if you care not for your life.' Kagome did not need to open her eyes to know that the demoness was outraged, her eyes widened in anger.

'How dare you speak in such manner with the Lady of the East? Who are you?'

'I am Lady Kagome, Lord Sesshoumaru's intended. I did not mean to offend you, Lady Chiyo, I only tried to save your life from your imminent death should you have touched that bow.'

'Lady Kagome? So it is true? Lord Sesshoumaru has finally decided to mate? And he found another Inu female to that. I thought Inu females were no longer. And what do you mean that I would have died if I touched the bow? No weapon can kill a youkai powerful enough and I am no weakling.'

'The Inu females were indeed extinct. But I am no ordinary Inu youkai. Tell me, Lady Chiyo, do you recognize the marking on my forehead?'

'Of course I recognize it. Is Lord Sesshoumaru's marking. But how is it on your forehead if you are not mated yet?'

'Do you not see a difference between my marking and his?'

'Yes, yours is black and in a mirrored angle than his.' At her last words, she gasped uncontrollably in surprise. 'You have the marking of the Goddess of Fate. How is that even possible?'

'I am the Goddess of Fate. I am sure you know the entire story behind Inutaisho's marking of the House of the Moon. As you know, I have been banished from the holy realm, being forced to reincarnate into mortals. The last mortal I have reincarnated into was a very powerful ningen miko, the keeper of the Shikon no Tama. When my time has come to go back to the holy realm I have chosen to remain here and I transformed into a demoness. I told you not to touch that bow for it would have purified you on the spot. It has infused my miko and youki powers and Sesshoumaru's ones in it. Totousai forged it from both our fangs and hairs. No one but the forger, Sesshoumaru and I can touch it.'

After she finished her discourse, Kagome looked more closely at Lady Chiyo. She was a lion demoness. Her brownish red hair reached her waist; her face held one reddish brown stripe on each cheek and on her forehead stood the marking of the Eastern House, a yellow sun.

'I see you are training, Lady Kagome. May I stay and watch you?'

'Please tell me Kagome, Lady Chiyo. And yes you may stay, although I wanted to go to the dojo with your permission and get used to Jounetsu, for I just received it.'

'Than if you want to be called by your name, please use mine also. Very well, we shall go to the dojo.'

That being said, the two youkai females made their way towards the dojo. Upon reaching it, they entered and Kagome settled some clouts for her practicing. She went in the opposite corner of the immense room and knotted an arrow in her bow's string pulling as hard as she could. She would not use her miko powers as of yet, just the bow. She released the arrow and without waiting to see if it hits the target, she knotted another arrow and released it. She continued like that until she was kind of bored. She looked into her sheath and saw all her arrows in it.

That was when she decided to charge them with some of her miko powers. So she chose a second clout and she knotted an arrow, letting some of her powers into it and released it, doing so until she was again bored.

'My, you have released your arrows with such a force and rapidity I almost couldn't see them. And you destroyed the clouts with your charged ones. Not that it counts. You are very powerful, Kagome.'

'Thank you Chiyo. It is just that I missed a bow. The human made ones would snap in my hands from the force I put on them and Sesshoumaru did not have a bow that I could find acceptable for a miko in his dojo. I received Jounetsu as a gift from him yesterday. As I already told you, it was forged by Totousai.'

'Yes, it is a pity he does not forge weapons for others also. I could tell this one, like the sword you have, is crafted by his hands. That was why I wanted to touch it and just for a moment held it in my arms. I could feel its immense aura from my chamber, that was what drawn me out this morning. What is the name of your sword, Kagome?'

'Tessaiga.' Chiyo gasped in awe at her simple word. 'Do you know of Tessaiga?' Kagome asked.

'Of course I know it. It was forged from the great Inutaisho's fang and passed to his half-breed son, Inuyasha. Lord Sesshoumaru told us when we asked him if there is another fang besides his own, that was crafted by Totousai.'

'Well, Inuyasha died and the sword has chosen me as its new wielder. I was still a human miko then.'

'You mean a youki fang has chosen a miko to wield it? What made it choose in such an unheard of manner?'

'I tried to save Inuyasha so I released my highest amount of miko since then and killed Naraku. The sword saw my bravery and devotion and it chose me.'

'So you are _that_ Kagome that killed the infamous Naraku? You keep amazing me with each word you say. We must talk some more, but unfortunately now it is a little too late for we must prepare for the ball. We will see you in the ballroom Kagome.'

'Ok, Chiyo.'

It was by now far in the afternoon and the miko decided to go in her room and start preparing. She needed a bath after the day's training. Upon reaching the doors she met Liu, who had a package in her arms.

'Lady Kagome, this is a kimono that Lord Sesshoumaru has asked me to give to you. He instructed me to help you put it on for tonight's celebrations.'

'Ok, Liu. I will call you when I am finished with my bath.'

'Very well, my Lady.'

Approximately a half an hour later, Kagome emerged from the bathing area and Liu was already in her chamber waiting for her. She took off her Lady's towel, which was wrapped around her slim figure, and started applying a scentless balm all over her body.

'What is this for?'

'It has the property of increasing your scent. Lord Sesshoumaru, as all the other Taiyoukai and their mates will be rubbing this oil over their skins.'

'I see. And only the Taiyoukai and their mates wear it?'

'Yes, my Lady.'

After Liu finished applying the strange balm, she went to Kagome's bed and unwrapped the rice paper the kimono was in. She held it towards Kagome and she helped her put it on. It was a black kimono with a marvelous design on the lower part. It showed Lord Inutaisho under a cherry tree standing tall, the Goddess of Fate floating in mid-air in front of him, barely touching his forehead. Sakura blossoms were swirling around them in a gentle wind, both their hair also floating away from their heads with the wind's blow. The design was a pure silver color, contrasting the black of the rest of the garment. The obi was also a silver color, wrapped around her waist twice and knotted in the back in an intricate tie. Her silver hair was the next to be arranged and Liu settled with knotting the tresses that were framing her face into an exact replica of the obi's one at the back of her head, letting the rest flow down on her shoulders and back. Liu continued with make-up, only Kagome did not allow her. She was not going to let anyone put that white stuff all the demonesses wore on their face as a mask. She wanted her face as free of make-up as possible. So she took the pencil-like brush and applied some silver color on her eyelids and got her mascara from her trustful backpack. On her lips she applied some transparent lip gloss. When Sesshoumaru entered the room to prepare himself also, she was ready for his inspection.

'What do you think Sesshoumaru? I have never been to this kind of balls so I do not know if my appearance is acceptable.'

'It is more than acceptable. You will take the eyes of every male youkai in the room. I want you to stand close to me and never leave my side unless I permit you to.'

'Thank you Sesshoumaru for your compliment. I will not leave your side even once.'

That being said, Sesshoumaru entered the bathing area, taking with him an outfit of similar colors with her kimono. When he emerged back in the chamber where Kagome was waiting patiently, he was wearing an exact match to her clothes. His haori had on its lower part the same design her kimono had.

'The Kimono you are wearing was given to my mother as a mating gift. When she accepted it, my father had his seamstress tailor a matching one for him. They remained in my keeping until I found my mate. It was my father's wish to wear them both and I found this as the best time to do that.'

'They are gorgeous. I love them. What shall we do with our weapons? Chiyo almost purified herself today trying to hold Jounetsu.'

'I find it better to take them with us.'

'But they would disturb us while dancing or eating. I was thinking of putting them all together and I can entrap them in a barrier, this way no one can touch them. They will be safe in our chamber, no one would be able to steal them, though I do not think it would be the case, and also no one would die trying to touch them. What do you think?'

'As long as the barrier does not purify the weapons' youki I have nothing against it.'

'Ok. Then let's put them on the bed.' They went to the bed, took their weapons and laid them in the middle. When they were sure all of their weapons were in their places, Kagome clasped her hands at her chest and started chanting. Immediately a pink powerful barrier entrapped the bed, keeping the arms safe and everyone else wanting to touch them at distance for their own good. After that was done, Sesshoumaru offered her his arm and showed her to the grand ball room. As they arrived at the double doors, he released her to set his haori straight once more before being presented.

Sesshoumaru and Kagome were standing in front of the massive oak door, waiting to be presented. And then, a deep masculine voice boomed in the room they were to enter:

'Presenting Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands and his intended, Lady Kagome.'

At that precise moment Sesshoumaru offered her his hand and when the door opened, they entered in the great ball room, greeted by none other than the Lord of the Eastern Lands, Hinode-sama.

'Lord Sesshoumaru.'

'Lord Hinode. Let me present you Lady Kagome, my intended.'

With a little bow of his head, Lord Hinode said:

'Lady Kagome. So we finally meet, Goddess of Fate.'

'I am no longer a Goddess. But you may call me Demoness of Fate, for my element did not forsake me.'

'Tell me, please, what has Fate in store for my House?'

'Lord Hinode, I will check your stream of Fate when meditation will permit me. But you know I am not to tell you anything, or else its flow will be changed.'

'Still you have told Lord Inutaisho.'

'That I did and I did it because I saw it in his fate. As you can see, my fate was bounded to his.' With this, Kagome nodded to the Eastern Lord and passed him, still on Sesshoumaru's arm. They entered the room, both with their chins held high, just as a true Lord and Lady should do, and walked towards the table all the lords were seated at. She could feel all the eyes on her. The females were looking with hate and rage at her, the males with lust and desire.

After they seated themselves and the other guests arrived, dinner was served. They ate in silence, all the youkai in the room glancing at her in-between bites of their food. Everything was going as it should have, that is until the opening dance.

When the three Taiyoukai: Lord Sesshoumaru of the West, Lord Hinode of the East and Lady Amarante of the North, have taken their mates: Lady Kagome, intended of the West, Lady Chiyo of the East and Lord Kagetora of the North to the dance something out of the ordinary happened.

At that exact moment Lord Kouga of the South came rushing and swept Kagome of her feet. He took her on the dancing floor and said:

'My woman, I have finally found you. Now we shall dance.'

'Kouga, we cannot dance now. I must dance with my intended, Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands. Sure you do not want to offend a fellow Lord by claiming his intended as yours.' But Kouga would not understand her, so he kept going.

'You are my woman. Now that the mutt-face has died and you defeated Naraku and completed the jewel you can come to my lands and become my mate.'

Sesshoumaru was by now near them, his eyes bleeding red from the offence and from rage. _'How dare he claim my mate-to-be as his own? And how does he not understand the rejection from Kagome? __**He does not want to see it and understand. We shall punish him for the offence. **__I agree.'_ With that last thought, Sesshoumaru was on his way to transforming, held down from it only by his judgment that they would destroy the ball and offend Lord Hinode of the East.

'Kouga, I am not your woman. Understand once and for all and unhand me now!' Kagome almost yelled. But the wolf demon wouldn't budge. She took a look at Sesshoumaru sensing his menacing aura and panic started filling her heart. He was on the verge of transforming into his youkai form and she did not know if she could stop him from that. So to get away from Kouga's grasp she gathered a small portion of her miko powers in her right hand and slapped him across his left cheek, leaving a burning hand print on. The wolf released her as her arm made contact with his cheek and it started stinging. He took a wild look at her, unbelieving she did that to him.

When she saw herself released she ran to Sesshoumaru throwing herself in his arms. He sensed her scent and immediately recognized her, the process of his transformation haltering a little but not stopping entirely, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Kagome was by now frantic, not knowing how to stop Kouga's imminent death by the hands of her beloved Sesshoumaru. An idea came into her head as how to stop the Taiyoukai from taking his true form. She stood on her tiptoes and gently placed a peck on his lips. When her lips made contact with his, Sesshoumaru's gaze snapped from Kouga and locked with hers. They were still tinged red but he was coming back to her. When she was sure he was his normal self again, Kagome turned around in his embrace, facing Kouga and said:

'I hope you understand now where my heart lies and who I have chosen as my life partner. And it is not you, but Sesshoumaru. I always told you not to call me 'your woman' for I was not and never will be. Besides, you have a promise to keep to Ayame. The mark on your left cheek will never heal for I mingled my purifying powers with my poison. Kouga, you have offended my mate, so I suggest you apologize, though I do not know if that would be enough.'

'You have chosen that mutt? And you want me to apologize to that filthy dog? I have nothing to apologize for. Your "intended" is not even able to protect you Kagome. You better come with me now as I am still decided to accept you, though you have been disrespectful with me when slapping me.'

'How dare you speak like that to my mate-to-be and to me? Don't you realize what an offence you brought to us? Now it is not my mate-to-be that will deal with you. I personally will pay you for your disrespectful words.' Kagome's eyes were tinged with red, her fury taking control over her, not even noticing her fangs and claws enlarging and some other minor changes that clearly said "true form transformation". Sesshoumaru chose at that precise moment to drop his arms from around her waist, sensing her aura and not believing she was just about to change in front of everybody. Until now, he thought she was not even able to do that, but apparently she was a true Inu youkai, although females were not able to change to the demon form. He put one hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear:

'Kagome, you are about to change into your youkai side. Do not let that happen. We will deal with this, now we must not offend our host.'

'Hai, Sesshoumaru, you are right.' she calmed down and put her feelings aside, adopting the stoic mask Sesshoumaru had on always and said:

'Kouga, for your offence towards myself and my intended I will ask you to accompany me in the dojo for a sword fight.'

'What? Do you think you can defeat me with a sword? You, who was never able to defend herself but had Inuyasha or the others to do it for you? Pathetic.'

'Kouga, I suggest you do not offend me further more. I have chosen a sword fight for if you were to fight against my miko powers you would be dead in a blink of an eye. That would not be an honorable fight or death.'

'You are not powerful enough to fight me. And your miko powers are insignificant.' At his last statement, Kagome brought her hands in front of her, palms up and formed a pink sphere in them. As soon as it was formed, it shot towards the Lord of the South and engulfed him in a blink of an eye in a pink barrier, with every passing second shrinking towards him, threatening to purify him. Just as it was about to do that, the pink ball stopped.

'Now you see, at my mere wish I could purify you. But that is not fun. Now are you willing to accept the sword match?'

Kouga's eyes were widened in surprise. He didn't even see it coming and the purifying barrier around him was very powerful. If that was only a small portion of her powers, Kagome was right and she would kill him on the spot.

'Hai. I will accept your offer. I trust Lord Hinode will allow me to use one of his training katanas, since I do not have one with me.'

'Hai you can take one.'

'Lord Hinode' Kagome said in a soft voice, turning to him 'I hope you do not feel offended by our behavior. If that is the case I plea you to forgive me.'

'Lady Kagome, I am not offended by any of this, only by Lord Kouga's behavior. You did nothing but be honorable in taking your mate-to-be's part and setting things with a sword match instead of instantly frying him.'

'Thank you. Now I will have to go to our room and take my sword and change from this wonderful kimono. I do not want to ruin such a magnificent garment, I am sure of. Kouga, until you choose your katana I will return.'

'I will be waiting in the dojo.'

With that, Kagome went to her chambers, Sesshoumaru coming with her.

'Should I finish the fight quickly or should I take my time?'

'I think it is wiser to finish it quickly. After all we have a ball to attend to and as much as I would like to see you fighting, we cannot offend the Lord of the East by taking too long to defeat him.'

'You are right. I will finish as quickly as I can.'

'You know that you will be fighting on life and death. I want you to be careful, Kagome.'

'I will, Sesshoumaru. Thank you for your concern.'

'Will you kill him in the end?'

'If I must I will. I will feel terrible afterwards but if that is what it takes to teach him, and anybody else who wants to offend me or you, a lesson I will do it.'

'Very well. Kagome, do not let your feelings reign you. Fight with a clear head and you will win.'

'Hai. Thank you for your advices.' By now they were in the room. Kagome took a set of her training clothes and went to the bathing area to change. When she emerged she let down the barrier, took Tessaiga, Sesshoumaru took Tokijin and then put the barrier up again.

They were in the dojo a few minutes later, all the other youkai already there, standing near the walls, waiting for the fight. Kouga was already there, a katana in his hands, arrogantly standing in the middle of the dojo:

'I thought you changed your mind, wench. Let's see what you can do.'

'Do you honestly think you can anger me by calling me names? All you do is offend me even more and that is not too wise since with every offence you are closer to your death.'

With that Kagome took her place in front of him and took a defensive stance, Tessaiga in front of her transformed. Upon seeing her katana, Kouga's eyes bulged in surprise.

'How is it that you can wield that sword? Only Inuyasha could use that.'

'What, are you afraid of my katana? Do not be afraid for I shall not release its attacks. I said it would be a sparring match. I can wield it because it has chosen me as its wielder.' After she finished she shut up, choosing to remain silent on the entire fight and pay attention at his attacks and moves.

Kouga chose to act since she was in a defensive stance and leapt in the air towards her. She didn't move, but let him come down closer and in a blink of an eye she leapt in the air, kicked him in his side and turned 180 degrees in the air stopping his blade to cut her back. When they touched the ground, Kouga was panting slightly and Kagome saw her advantage. She ran towards him with her youkai speed and before he had the chance to fall into a defensive stance she lowered Tessaiga upon his slightly unsteady katana, successfully managing to leave him defenseless. Her katana's tip was immediately at his throat slightly cutting his skin, drawing blood.

'Apologize and you will live. Chose to die and your lands will be mine, for I am the one to have defeated you. What choose you?'

Kouga was speechless. _'How was she able to defeat me so quickly? She is truly more powerful and skillful than I knew and thought of her. And her miko powers are also stronger that before.'_ As he was thinking at this, he took a moment to look at her and then he saw the marking on her brow. He recognized it as the marking of the Goddess of Fate and understood: not only she was a demoness that seemed to have the same type of powers as Sesshoumaru, but she had the powers of the Goddess also. No wonder her own miko powers increased tenfold. She truly was a sight and a female to kill for.

'What choose you? You must admit I defeated you and you are now at my mercy. Shall you not apologize I will not show mercy for you.'

'I apologize My Lady, Goddess of Fate. I most sincerely apologize.'

'Very well. I will spare your life, but shall you even once offend either me or my intended in any way I will not be this merciful again.'

'Thank you.'

'Lord Hinode, I hope you did not feel offended by the turn of the events. I must go and change now, for the ball must continue. I will not take more than a few minutes.'

Everyone stared at her in awe. They knew Kouga to be a skilled youkai when it came to swordsmanship, in fact, excepting Sesshoumaru, they did not think there was another youkai, being it Taiyoukai or not, in the room that could defend Kouga in a sparring match. And she did it within a couple of minutes. Sesshoumaru was pleased of the way things turned out and of Kagome's quick win. So he accompanied her to the chamber.

'You did very well. I am proud of you, Kagome.'

'Thank you, Sesshoumaru.'

'Now all the Lords and Ladies will know not to fight you. Kouga was the best, of course after me, in swordsmanship from the Taiyoukai when it came to fighting with a katana. Defeating him in such a short time showed that you are very well trained and you will not be an easy pray for anyone. If anybody wants to touch you they would think twice before doing so.'

Kagome gasped. She did not know what to say. Comparing Sesshoumaru with Kouga, the latter was quite weak when it came to sword fight. She could have disarmed him from the first time she attacked but she decided against it. By the time they were in the room, Liu was already there, waiting to help her in her kimono.

'My Lady, thank Kamis you are alright. And you didn't even ruined your hair. That is good, I trust you have taken care of the problem?'

'Hai Liu. Now please help me quickly for we must return to the ball at once.'

Liu did the inhuman possible and had Kagome dressed in the beautiful kimono in just mere minutes. Kagome placed the two swords back on the bed and put the barrier up again and then they were off to the dancing hall. When they entered, they saw that the other two Taiyoukai and their mates were on the dancing floor waiting for them. They took their place next to them and the music began. It was a slow song and to that Kagome was thankful for she did not want to dance on a more bouncy music, at least not the first and most important dance. They danced, their chins held high, eyes locked on one another.

Sesshoumaru couldn't take his gaze off her. The fighting gave her a wonderful look: her face was flushed because of the effort, her eyes were more alive than before, the bottomless pools being brought to attention better by her black kimono, her breathing was a little quicker than normal and her heartbeat was more accelerate because of the fighting. All in all she was a sight to behold. And then Sesshoumaru remembered how she managed to calm him down when he was about to take his true form and what she said to Kouga: _'I hope you understand now where my heart lies and who I have chosen as my life partner.'_ This made Sesshoumaru realize how deep Kagome's feelings ran for him and also what were his feelings for her.

As the song was coming to its end Sesshoumaru bowed his head a little so he would be able to whisper Kagome in her ear:

'Aishiteru, Kagome.' Upon hearing that from him she gasped in surprise and Sesshoumaru captured her parted lips in a heated kiss. Everyone around them stopped from dancing or talking and stared at them in awe.

The mighty, cold Lord Sesshoumaru was kissing his intended in front of everybody.

'Aishiteru, Sesshoumaru.' Kagome whispered when he released her lips.

* * *

**_AN. : So I would like to tell you that 'Jounetsu' means 'Passion' and 'Aishiteru' means 'I love you'. If any of you knows that the last one means something else and I made a confusion please tell me and I will correct myself. _**

**_Now I have a request from you: I would like to ask you, if you feel up to it, to write the mating night for I am not too good about that and I am afraid of not spoiling the story. If anyone of you would like to write it just PM me and I will send the person my email address so one can send the scene to me. The only condition is to be a very beautiful scene ;)_**

**_Thank you to everyone that read and reviewed my story. I love you guys. Keep reading and reviewing, OK?_**

**_Ja ne_**


	13. Marked

**_AN. : Hello everyone. I am back ... I know it is a long time since I last updated, but I do have a lot of work for school ... plus this chapter is almost as long as the previous one. _**

**_I will say it again here, maybe you didn't read the AN. at the end of the previous chapter, if someone thinks he/she is able to write the mating scene the person is free to do it. Just PM me and tell me and I will send them my e-mail address._**

**_Another thing ... this chapter contains a slight lime ... umm ... whoever does not want to read it please skip it ... I would most likely signal it, but if I don't you will know when it starts ... it is not much but I thought I should warn you. So without further adding, enjoy._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters.

* * *

_**The moment the dance was over and the words uttered, the grand doors were trashed to the wall by a furious wind, the candles were all blown out and the room remained in the darkness. All around them the wind was hurling as if the Kamis themselves were ragging. All of a sudden, a calm and soothing aura made itself known in the middle of the wind, turning it into a warm breeze. The candles were lit once again and the demons and demonesses could see a majestic figure among them. 

In the middle of the room a male stood proudly. His hair was pure black, flowing freely on his shoulders and back, reaching his waist; his eyes were the clearest of blues. He was tall, taller than any other demon in the room with the exception of Sesshoumaru. On his forehead he had as a marking the kanji representing the word 'love'. He was clad all in dark, contrasting his silver-like skin. A pair of golden majestic wings adorned his back, pairing in color his marking. In his right hand he held a golden scepter, kanji carved all over it. A powerful aura was sweeping the room coming from him. He was powerful and everyone knew it.

'Lycurgus, what are you doing here?' asked Kagome, not even flinching or feeling fear from the proud figure.

'Goddess, or shall I better say, Demoness of Fate. I have been with you and your mate for a long time. I have made my presence known now for there is no need for me to be here anymore.'

'What do you mean with being with us? Should you have been with us we would have known.' Kagome added in disbelief.

'I have been with you Lady Kagome as your conscious. I have been with you Lord Sesshoumaru as your Inu half. I have been guiding you all this time towards your recognition of your feelings for each other.'

'Who are you and how dare you do such thing?' Sesshoumaru asked in an alarmingly calm voice.

'Forgive my rudeness. I am Lycurgus, God of Love, Lord Sesshoumaru.'

At his statement gasps could be heard all around the room. The entire population of youkai in the room was speechless, well all but one fuming Kagome.

'What was with that entrance of yours? Did you need all that?'

'Pardon me Lady Kagome, but that was not me. Apparently the other Kamis have seen and heard yours and Lord Sesshoumaru's statements of love to one another. It seems they are not very happy with that. I am bound to think they still hoped you would return amongst them, in the holly realm. But bounding yourselves to one another through love means you will never again come back to were you belonged. They were enraged for losing their most beloved Kami once more and that was the consequence to it. I would have not made my presence known in such ways were it not the dire need for me to protect you and the others in this room.'

'How dare they do such thing? They are not Kamis. Toying with the lives of innocent people, being them youkai or ningen, is not what a true Kami would do. I am bound to believe that only you, Lycurgus, and Noriko, the Goddess of Foretelling are the only two remaining Gods that still act as true Kamis. I am very disappointed with the entire population of Kamis. They should renounce their claims as being holy creatures for they are not. They are more cunning and revengeful than any other living being. They are too proud for their well-being. I would never return to them. Should I ever hear about anything that the Kamis have wronged with, I personally will see to it and I will make it my responsibility to banish all the ill-conditioned from the holly realm. They are tainting it with their behavior and malevolence.'

'Lady Kagome, you have not changed a bit. You still are the same tempered Nadeshiko you were as a Goddess, but I must admit that the former ningen Kagome has a more powerful character than her. You truly are a creature to behold and love. I will grieve along with the other Kamis the loss of you from our realm, but your place is here.' With his last words, he bowed to his waist to her and kept his position until she allowed him to move.

'Lycurgus, you know you do not have to bow to me. I am glad there still is a Kami up there that has his head anchored in reality and is correct in his judgment. I am thankful you and Noriko are still the same Kamis I knew.'

Lycurgus gave her a wide grin and then turned to Sesshoumaru.

'Lord Sesshoumaru, you have chosen well. Not only you have fulfilled the Kamis' request, but you have secured a strong mate for yourself. Your heir would be a powerful one and your House's future is secured. Lady Kagome, I must leave you. The Kamis are wondering where I am since all this started.'

'You mean they didn't know where you were?'

'Only Noriko knew where I am and what I was doing, for her element would have told her.' he responded, a wide grin on his handsome face. 'I bid you farewell Lady Kagome, Lord Sesshoumaru. And to you all I must apologize for my intrusion. Good bye, Goddess.'

'Farewell, Lycurgus.'

With that he lifted to the air, his wonderful golden wings gently flopping around him, sustaining his form in the air, and taking him towards the holly realm.

'Lady Kagome, I must admit you are one exciting person to have around.' A tall demoness said to Kagome.

'I would not know what to respond to that, Lady …'

'Amarante.' the Taiyoukai of the North supplied.

'Lady Amarante. It is a pleasure to meet you, your ladyship.'

'Oh please, just call me Amarante and stop with the ladyship thing also. We are equals here all of us. Pretty soon you will become Lady of the West, so you have no need in using our honorifics.'

'Hai Amarante. And please call me Kagome.'

'Kagome, this is my mate, Kagetora.'

'Lord Kagetora.'

'Oh please Kagome, as my mate already told you, there is no need for the honorifics. We are equals, though if I think this through I am inclined to say you are far above us and we should bow to the Goddess of Fate. Sesshoumaru, you have found a mate that equals you in every point: in power, in respect and in beauty.'

At his last statement, Sesshoumaru let loose a low growl. He was outraged at the pertinence of the pup in front of him complimenting his intended.

'Sesshoumaru, are you jealous?' Kagetora asked, mirth reading all over his face. He was stunned at the display of emotions Sesshoumaru was currently letting loose.

'Kagetora, you will refrain from complimenting my intended should you want to live another day. Should I remind you that she is my intended and that you have a mate?' By the end of his question, Sesshoumaru had already encircled Kagome in his strong arms. She wanted to pry them off and tell him she was not an object to be possessed by him but she knew better than that. Should she have done anything like that, every male in the room would have taken the gesture as a rejection from her behalf.

'Thank you for your compliment, Kagetora. But what did you mean with that last thing you said?'

'That you equal him in beauty? Sesshoumaru is known as the most handsome Taiyoukai ever. Any demoness you would ask would tell you the same thing. And in saying that, I merely stated the obvious. Should you ask any male in this room they would say the same thing.'

'Kagome, may I ask you something?' Amarante said.

'Os course you may, Amarante.'

'Is this the way you looked like when you were a Kami, or does your beauty come from the ningen side?'

At her question, Kagome blushed ten shades of red and when she was able to speak she said:

'Well, as a Kami I had the same black eyes I have now. Also my hair was ebony black, as it was when I was a ningen. My skin was the same as a Kami and a ningen also. But everything else is from my ningen side. Of course now I have the characteristics of an Inu youkai female.'

'How is it that you have such similarities with Sesshoumaru?'

'Well when I had to choose between going back to the holly realm as a Kami or remain here, Midoriko's soul came to Sesshoumaru and told him to stay close to me. I had to change into something else for I had too much power and the frail body of a ningen girl couldn't host it. I would have changed into either a Kami or a youkai. I have chosen to remain in this realm and so I needed a powerful demon to have as a model while transforming. That was why Midoriko told Sesshoumaru not to leave my side until the change was completed. I have used him as a model and that is why I have so many similar characteristics with him.'

'Do you have any of the powers he has?'

'Um I would not know what to say. I am not very sure about that. I know I have poison in my veins and I can summon a poisonous whip, but I am quite sure any of you could do that.'

'Iie, Kagome. Only Sesshoumaru has poison in his veins and a poisonous whip. That was his trademark power. No other youkai has poison in their claws. Now it seems you are two.'

'Sure his father, great Inutaisho, had that particularity also.'

'No. In fact no one was able to explain this feature. For there was never on earth a youkai with poison in their veins. He was unique in this aspect for centuries and we thought he would remain that way.'

'Hmmm … I wonder how …' Kagome trailed off, thinking of how this was possible. She was snapped out of her daydream when Sesshoumaru placed a hand on her shoulder, signaling her he wanted to speak with her.

'Hai, Sesshoumaru?'

'I must speak with you. Come with me in the gardens.'

'Hai.'

Out in the gardens they walked in silence for some time, while studying the moon and the stars. At some point, Sesshoumaru decided to speak:

'Kagome, I must ask you to not tell them of our bond. At least not yet. I am not sure what they think of you as of yet, but I do not want to endanger you.'

'Hai Sesshoumaru. I will not tell them. Thank you for your concern.' They fell into silence again. They were seated on a low bench, gazing at the beautiful full moon and the stars above them. All around them the ground was covered in snow. It was also snowing and the flakes, along with the white blanket that covered the earth, were glinting in the moon's light. Everything was surreal and in moments like this Kagome felt most at peace. Unfortunately she started shivering and they had to enter.

'Sesshoumaru, how long until this ball ends?'

'Not long. Once with the dawn, the others will just go to their quarters to sleep. But there would still be some of them that would not need to sleep and would probably meditate or do something else.'

'What are we to do the entire day? Will you be spending it with me, or will you be spending it with the other Lords and youkai?'

'I would never do such thing. You are my intended and I would never let you alone if it is not necessary. I will train tomorrow. And I wish you to train with me. I will however allow you the morning to yourself to rest, should you need it.'

'No I do not need it. I want to train with you also.'

'Very well.' They were obliged to end their conversation there because they entered the great dancing hall and they saw Amarante and Kagetora coming towards them.

'Kagome, I was wondering if I may have the honor of dancing with you.'

'If my mate-to-be allows it, Kagetora. You would have to ask him.' she said.

'A true intended to Sesshoumaru you are, Kagome.'

'You may dance with him, Kagome. I allow you to leave my side for one dance.' He said loud enough to be heard by the youkai standing in their proximity. 'But you must come back as soon as the dance is over.' He whispered in her ear.

'Hai Sesshoumaru.' She answered as loud as he did. 'Of course, I will come back after the dance is over. Thank you.' She whispered back. She gave him a peck on his lips and gently took Kagetora's stretched hand. She graciously slid on the dance floor and let herself be lead in a slow dance.

'Come, Sesshoumaru, let's dance. That way you will be closer to her. I heard what you have whispered in her ear and I know how possessive of her you are.'

'Very well, Amarante.' They slid to the dance floor also and started their dance, Sesshoumaru's eyes never leaving Kagome's form.

'You really love her, Sesshoumaru.' Amarante snapped him out of his thoughts.

'Hai. I do.'

'She changed you, Sesshoumaru. She managed what nobody did, not even your father managed to do that after your mother died. Not even I, your childhood playmate and your long and trusted friend was able to change you. And she did it with no difficulty.'

'Amarante, do not let yourself convinced she has changed me entirely. I admit she did to an extent but only so little.'

'Sesshoumaru, you have kissed her in the middle of the dancing floor with all the youkai in the room staring at you. You showed your jealousy upon my mate when he complimented her. And you say you didn't change? You should think again. You started showing emotions again, you are slowly coming back to the old playmate I had. I didn't think that would be ever possible. She is perfect for you and she loves you Sesshoumaru. I can see from her temper and character she is not one to be ordered but yet she did ask for your permission to dance with Kagetora. She shows so much respect to you, even if you do not see it. Every move she makes and word she speaks is a show of respect to you.'

'Hn. I did not think you of all the demonesses will carry so much respect for my intended and praise her so vehemently.'

'Sesshoumaru, I must be blind to not see her love for you in her eyes. It is practically written all over her: on her face, in her eyes, in her aura. Actually I have observed something when Kouga offended you. When she was trying to stop your transformation, her aura was embracing you, soothing you and calming your raging youkai. Even while in Kouga's arms, it stretched towards you in a reassurance way. It was probably the only thing that kept you from changing.'

'I must admit her aura is calming down my Inu side.'

'She must have been training very hard for her to be able to defeat Kouga so quickly.'

'I have been training her personally. For the last moon's cycle period I have been training her rigorously. She can now stand her ground when sparring me.'

Amarante gasped at the new piece of information. She knew Sesshoumaru was the utmost master of swordsmanship but never in her life thought someone would be able to equal him in the art only in a moon's cycle due time.

'You are serious?'

'Does this Sesshoumaru joke?'

'Iie. But it seems unbelievable. Surely she knew how to use a katana before, you just improved her skills.'

'Iie. She knew nothing about swordsmanship. Only what she saw whenever my half-brother fought a youkai. Actually her fang used to belong to him. It is my father's fang, the Tessaiga, crafted by Totousai.'

Another gasp escaped her lips. She could not believe what he told her, even if she knew Sesshoumaru never spoke lies. Fortunately, the dance was over so she was spared from having to respond his last comment. As fast as the song ended, Kagome was by his side. He took her hand and engaged her in a dance, leaving a confused Amarante behind.

'_If she really is that powerful and skilled, then the test__s we are supposed to submit her to are worthless. It would be a waste of time from both our behalf and hers.' _thought Amarante looking at the pair, dancing and holding each other close. She studied Sesshoumaru and Kagome and she saw their auras mingling into one. At that moment Kagetora came to her.

'They really are something, ne Amarante?'

'Yes. Do you see their auras? They practically transfused into one. It is as if …' she gasped for the hundredth time that evening '… they are soul mates.'

'Hai, you are right. I have never seen such a powerful bond until now though. Do you think they might share a bond different from the one their souls seem to share?'

'It is possible. But do you really think Sesshoumaru would have done any kind of bond between them when they are mates-to-be? The bond that would be fulfilled in the mating ceremony would be powerful enough. And I do not see him sharing any type of other bonds with anyone, besides the bond mating of course.'

Kagetora narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. He could not think of the proud Sesshoumaru sharing a blood bond with anyone, especially a female. Reaching this conclusion he brushed the thought out of his mind, encircled his mate's waist with his arms and took her on the dancing floor.

Slowly the night died and the sun's rays signaled the new day. Not long after that, the ball ended and everyone went to their business, being it sleep, meditation, breakfast or something else.

'Sesshoumaru.' The three Taiyoukai came towards them.

'Hai.'

'Sesshoumaru, you know you have to follow the tradition and end the courting today.'

'W-w-w-what are you talking about? How is he supposed to end the courting and why?'

'Hai. I will see to it. I know what I have to do, you did not have to remind me.'

Kagome was stunned. She could not say a word. She did not know what they were speaking about. She turned towards Sesshoumaru and wanted to ask him, but he was faster than she was.

'I would explain everything when in our chambers. Now come. We have to talk.'

She obeyed and together they made their way to their chamber. She was confused and a little scared. She did not know what to expect. She knew it was not about mating for the other Lords and Lady should have submitted her to the test to see if she was worthy of him before that. Once the door of their room closed behind them, Sesshoumaru spoke:

'Kagome, I must tell you something. But first, I wish you put a sound barrier around our room. This conversation must remain private. It is only between the two of us.'

'H-h-hai.' She stuttered.

'Do not worry, precious one. I promise you have nothing to be frightened of.'

Kagome brought her palms in front of her chest and started chanting. In no time a pink barrier was put up around their room and she stood, waiting for her love to talk.

'Kagome, there is a tradition I have never told you of. Nor have you found it in any books for it is one that only the four Taiyoukai know about. After a Lord has made his intention of mating known to the others and brought his intended to meet the other three Taiyoukai, the Lord in question must mark the female as his own. Of course this goes also if the intended is a male and the Taiyoukai is a Lady. But what comes next is only for the cases in which the intended is a female. Your case. Before marking you, I have to take your virginity.'

At his last words, Kagome gasped loudly, her eyes widened and mouth opened slightly.

'B-b-b-but you s-s-s-said the mating ceremony is after the other Taiyoukai submit me to their tests. A-a-a-and does that not mean we are to mate then? What does this mean?'

'We will not mate. I must cut your virginal barrier and mark you. It does not involve sexual intercourse. The mating itself will be consumed at the mating ceremony, when I must mark you once more. You see, this mark I would put on you would only last until we will consume our bond and tie ourselves one to the other for life.'

'A-a-a-and why d-d-d-didn't you t-t-t-tell me of t-t-t-this before?' Kagome stuttered unable to control herself.

'I did not want you to feel embarrassed because of this at the reception. Should you felt embarrassed with my presence the other males would have thought you rejected me. I did not want to put either of us in such a predicament.'

'I see. And when do you have to … ummm … do this?'

'It would be better if I did it now.' Sesshoumaru said embracing her.

He put one finger under her chin and raised her bowed head, capturing her lips in a fierce and passionate kiss. After he ended the kiss, he went to the door and asked her to lower the barrier for he had to talk with Liu. She lowered the barrier and went to the bed, putting that one down also. She took the weapons down from the bed and sat on a corner, not knowing what to say or do. This was quite new to her and she did not want to do something wrong. Within minutes, Liu entered the room.

'Lord Sesshoumaru told me to prepare you, Lady Kagome. Please, come to the bathing area, you must bath you body and hair. Use these balms in your hair and on your body after you finish, My Lady.' That being said she took Kagome to the bathing area of their chamber and slid shut the door behind her. Kagome listened to Liu and bathed herself. After finishing she took the balms and rubbed them on her skin and hair. She used a towel to dry her hair and body and when she was about to wrap it around her body to exit, Liu came in with a white garment.

'My Lady, put this on. When you finish, just go to the bed and climb in it. Lord Sesshoumaru would come shortly after.' Kagome did what was told and put the white garment on. She exited the bathing area and went to the bed. She climbed in and lay down in the middle. She was nervous and did not know what would happen next.

Shortly after, Sesshoumaru entered the room. He went straight to the bathing area after sparing her a glance. He could sense her nervousness in her aura and decided he liked the scent of lavender and jasmine she smelt like when nervous. He bathed and used the same balms to put on his body and hair. He dried his hair, put on some white hakamas and exited.

'Kagome, please put back the barrier.' He told her. After she did what she was told, Sesshoumaru climbed in the bed. 'Please do not be afraid. I would never hurt you.'

* * *

**(Start of partial lemon)**

'I am not afraid, I am just nervous. This is new to me, you know.' While she said this she kept fidgeting with her nightgown. Sesshoumaru took her hands in his, successfully turning her attention towards him. She looked at him intently and when she was about to turn her eyes away from him he locked their lips into another fierce kiss. He didn't break the kiss until he felt her starting to pant under him, for he had managed, during the kiss, to situate himself on top of her laying form, in-between her legs.

He let her pant and started kissing her neck and shoulders, going down towards the valley between her breasts. Kagome was by now panting hard, feeling her body respond to his administrations. She could feel the heat within her body rise and felt him shift. She opened her eyes and looked at him. He gazed at her a few minutes, his hand trailing her slim waist down to her navel and from there down to her entry. He broke the eye contact and started kissing her down to the same spot his hand was at. Kagome moaned as his lips let a trail of fire on her skin, though he never took off her garment. When he passed her navel and reached her spot, licking it and rubbing it with one of his thumbs, she arched her back, partly sitting on the bed. Sesshoumaru took one last look at her and decided she was relaxed enough to proceed, so he introduced one of his clawed finger into her. She moaned louder this time, but the next moment she cried in pain: he had cut her barrier with his sharp claw. He dove down and licked all of her blood.

**(End of partial lemon)**

* * *

When the bleeding stopped, he raised his head, her blood still in his mouth, and using one of his fangs he bit his tongue letting his blood mix with hers. After that, he reached to her mouth and captured it. Her parted lips made his job easier, seeing he had to give her some of their mixed blood to drink. He let some of it pour in her mouth and then swallowed the remaining one. Her first reaction was to spit the blood in her mouth but Sesshoumaru put a hand over her lips signaling her to swallow it. She did it and immediately she felt dizzy. She looked in Sesshoumaru's eyes and saw they were glazed, as were hers. The effect of the bond was making itself known.

Minutes later, the dizziness subsided, leaving them both panting on the bed. When he looked at her, Sesshoumaru saw his mark on her left cheek. It was a small green droplet situated in the corner of her eye, looking as if a tear escaped it. He had the same marking only in pink on the same cheek. They were now showing the entire world they were intendeds and soon enough mates.

'This mark will disappear when we fully mate, Kagome. But the mark I will give you then will remain on you forever.'

Kagome didn't say anything. She was still sore after the little ordeal she went through.

'Come, Kagome, we must bath and then we will go to the dojo to train. But remember this, my love, this mark on your skin will allow the other Taiyoukai to submit you to the tests at any moment. So be careful at any times.'

'Hai, Sesshoumaru. I will go bath, it will not take me long.'

'No, we will bath together. It is a custom. From now on we must bath together every morning and evening. Also sleep in the same bed with no garments on.'

Kagome's cheeks turned the deepest shade of red that ever existed.

'A-a-a-are you s-s-s-serious? I mean … ummm … n-n-n-not that I am rejecting you b-b-but it is a little embarrassing.'

'This is exactly why this has to be done. So at the mating ceremony you would not reject our bond and my mating mark.'

They stood from the bed and went to the bathing area. They bathed each other, Kagome turning all the possible shades of red, Sesshoumaru watching her, his eyes roaming over her body and curves, a lustful expression on his face. They exited and dressed in their training outfits, took their swords and put the others under the protective barrier and went to the dojo. Sesshoumaru had to slow his pace at the beginning for Kagome was still sore from the small predicament and could not walk her usual fast pace. But by the time they got to the dojo the pain subsided almost entirely and she looked in anticipation at the fencing match between them.

'We would also be using our poison and claws but not just yet. I want first to train in swordsmanship.'

'Hai Sesshoumaru.'

They went to the middle of the dojo and took their stances. They were just measuring each other from head to feet. And then Sesshoumaru made the first move and lunged at her. She pared easily and made to strike but he blocked her sword. They engaged themselves into battle, their auras loose, flaring around them at their full potential. Kagome's fang was enlarged; Tokijin was brimming with power, waiting to be released.

Upon sensing the immense power coming from the dojo the other Lords and Ladies made their way to the fencing pair to see who had released such a huge amount of jaki. Sesshoumaru and Kagome sensed them coming but never halted in their training. He knew that the Taiyoukai will be watching them and was determined to work Kagome's ass to the bone to demonstrate them she was no weakling. Just before the dojo's door opened, Sesshoumaru signaled her they would also use their other powers alongside their katanas.

When the door slid open Sesshoumaru was releasing a very powerful attack from his Tokijin towards Kagome. She stood her ground and in the last moment put up a very powerful barrier, sucking in his attack and transforming it in raw purifying energy, which she sent towards him. Sesshoumaru raised Tokijin in defense and the majority of the attack was taken by the sword but still a good part of it hit him square in the chest. He didn't even flinch at the force of her attack and stood still, adopting a defensive stance, waiting for Kagome to attack.

She was about to lunge at him when Kouga appeared in-between them.

'Kouga, move, we have training.' Kagome said in a cool voice not once looking at him but at her intended. She knew not to turn her eyes away from her opponent when in a fight or training.

'I see that you have marked her. Very well. Kagome, I wish to submit you to a test. Should you fight and win against Sesshoumaru in training I will deem you a suitable mate for him.'

Kagome's expression hardened. She never, since she started training with him, won. She could stand her ground to him and even call it a tide, but never won. She knew Kouga was well aware of this and he did it on purpose. He hoped she would fail and he will be able to woo her as his after that. Her eyes hardened while a determined expression settled on her face.

'Very well, Kouga. I will take the test. But should I win you are to never in your life stand closer to me than five meters. Understood?'

'Oh … believe me, if you win I will never come closer than five meters to you. But, Sesshoumaru I want you to fight as if you were facing your worst enemy.'

'Hai. You have my word.' he said, his face emotionless.

'You have heard him, Amarante, Kagetora, Hinode, Chiyo. You will be my witnesses. Should he forget about this little arrangement I will kill him.'

'Hai, we have heard.' They chirped in unison.

Pleased with his idea and convinced she would never win, he backed away to the other Lords and Ladies to watch the match. Alone now in the middle of the dojo, they both stood straight, katanas shielded, looking straight at each other. Then they bowed their head to one another. Kagome's face and body screamed determination, while Sesshoumaru's face was a cool emotionless mask.

They both fell into defensive stances eying each other. Knowing Kagome will not be the one to attack first, he lunged at her, Tokijin unsheathed ready to place a fatal blow on her. She kept her defensive stance and in a blink of an eye, moments before he would strike, she used her youkai strength and met his sword with her own, their auras mingling and fighting for domination. Sesshoumaru, being stronger and more experienced than she was, managed to block her sword and to knock it off of her grasp. He was about to inflict a gash upon her chest when she released her poisonous whip, successfully cutting his cheek. She used the momentum to jump away from his near proximity and dart backwards towards her weapon, not once turning her back to her love.

He released his poisonous whip and effectively cut her way to her katana. She jumped and dodged his second attack with his whip and in a blink she was next to him, her claws embedded in his chest. He grabbed her hand and yanked it away, poison dripping from the tips of her claws, a statement that said she had released it in his wound. He tried to punch her but she dodged him and released her poisonous whip. She lashed his other arm, making him release hers and in a blink of the eye she was behind him, clawing at his shoulder. She moved as fast as the lightning, leaving his near proximity. She dodged his now powerful energy balls sent from Tokijin and she closed the distance between her and Tessaiga, managing to grasp it in her hand.

She quickly formed a barrier for Sesshoumaru had sent another blast her way and she charged Tessaiga with her purifying energy. It grew in length and as she let the barrier drop she released one of the fang's attacks. She used the advantage of the attack and came towards him, wishing to finish the duel. But he saw her and while dodging her blast of raw energy he summoned his poisonous whip and when she was close enough so she could not turn around, he released it, effectively managing to slash her training haori over her chest, leaving a bloody gash in its trail and the marking over her heart visible. She almost lost her balance from the unexpected blow and with that Sesshoumaru almost managed to end the battle, but she crouched down low and kicked his legs, sending him to the floor. Before he managed to stand and attack her again, Kagome was already on top of him, Tessaiga's tip pressed against his chest, her poisonous claws at his neck, drawing blood.

They looked at each other, red eyes boring into red eyes. Their youkai sides were about to take over and take the fight to the next level. Sesshoumaru recognized his predicament and nodded once to her in acknowledgment and she stood, sheathed her katana and offered her hand to him to help him up. He took it without a word, grabbed his sword from the floor and sheathed it and then turned to her again. Golden met black and locked into a secret conversation.

'_I am proud of you. Should you keep training and fighting like today you will surpass me one day.'_

'_I am glad I made you proud of me. I have passed one test.'_

'_I love you.'_

'_I love you.'_

They didn't need words. They could understand each other perfectly from their heated gazes. They were snapped out of their trances by the sound of approaching footsteps. In that moment, both the Taiyoukai and his intended took defensive stances, swords drawn, faces calm. Should have not been their slight labored breathes, quickened heartbeats and wounds, you could have sworn they were just about to start their training. At their reaction the footsteps stopped. It was Lord Hinode who had approached them. Upon recognition, Sesshoumaru and Kagome relaxed their bodies, sheathed their katanas and stood straight.

'I have passed your test, Kouga. I hope you remember our discussion from before the fight.'

'I am not convinced you have won fairly. Sesshoumaru might have just fought poorly for your sake.'

'Do not offend my mate again, Kouga. He gave you his word. You know he is much too honorable to do such thing. I fought him and won fair and square.' Kagome raged, her eyes turning blood red.

'I must agree with Kagome. I know Sesshoumaru from when he was a pup and I can guarantee he has fought as if his life was on line. Still you have defeated him. Once Sesshoumaru gives his word to someone he will see to not break it. When he gives his word he is honor bound to see it to its end. I must say I am impressed with your skills Kagome.' Amarante said.

'I agree with Amarante. Pup, she has passed your test, now say the proper words she must hear.'

Kouga growled, not wishing to admit she in fact managed to pass his test and defeat Sesshoumaru in a fencing match, but seeing as the other Lords and Ladies were against him and knowing she truly did it, he said:

'Lady Kagome, you have passed my test, therefore I deem you worthy of being Lord Sesshoumaru's mate.'

As he finished with his declaration Kagome's mark from the corner of her eye flared and turned the color of blood red, but just as it happened it ended and returned to its initial green shade, keeping though some faint hints of red. Only the tingly feeling on her skin remained to contest it really happened.

She looked at Sesshoumaru and saw him eying her carefully.

'The marking will flare like that every time a Taiyoukai will proclaim you are worthy to become my mate. It will keep some of the red it turns upon the proclamation and when the last test was passed and the third Taiyoukai has acknowledged you, it will remain the shade of red until the mating ceremony. As you can see, mine acts in the same manner. You can see the red swirls in the little droplet marking.'

True to his words, Kagome saw that the pink tear at the corner of his left eye was tinged with red.

'Come, we must meditate after this training session. We will rest our bodies and clear out minds. After that we will return to our usual training.'

'Hai, Sesshoumaru. Hinode, Chiyo I will use this opportunity to see your Fate. But mark my words; my lips will be sealed in this matter. You will not hear anything about it.'

With that she nodded her head to them and went with Sesshoumaru to their chamber to wash their gashes and to put on new training outfits. When they were done, they went to the kitchen, ate some lunch for they had skipped breakfast and went back to the now empty dojo to meditate. The blizzard that reigned outside was too cold for them to meditate.

Once in their stances, Kagome erected a barrier around them and plunged in the River of Fate, keen on finding Hinode's and Chiyo's fates. The first image that appeared was one of the past.

* * *

'_Lord Hinode, Lady Chiyo was badly wounded in the attack upon her. I am afraid I have to tell you that your unborn pup was killed. She lost too much blood and now her life is at risk.' A mous__e-like youkai said. _

'_Is she going to make it? Will she live?' an enraged Hinode asked, eyes red, transformation half completed._

'_Hai, Lord Hinode, she will leave. But I am afraid that a curse was placed on her womb. It is a very powerful one and I could not lift it.' The healer said, bowing to her waist._

'_What does the curse do?'_

'_The curse stops her from having pups, Lord Hinode.' _

_Hearing her words, Hinode growled viciously and rushed out of the room and into the grounds of his castle letting his half side take control over him. A huge lion took the humanoid's place and its roar could be heard in all the four cardinal palaces. He was grieving for his dead unborn pup and for the fate of his House with his mate unable to conceive again.

* * *

_As soon as the image disappeared a new one formed in her mind. It was a vision of the present.

* * *

'_Do you think she could help us, Hinode? Is she the one to undo the curse?'_

'_I most certainly think she will be able to help us, if not now, at least in time, a short time. She is the one the prophecy speaks of. You remember, don't you? "A demoness with tremendous powers and the powers of a miko will come and lift the curse on the Lady's womb." That is what it said.'_

'_I remember it very well, Hinode. I sure hope she will be able to help us.' Chiyo said in a whisper.

* * *

_

After the words were uttered the image changed again and this time a vision of the future appeared.

* * *

_Kagome stood from her chair and approached Chiyo. She took Chiyo's hand and gingerly asked her to lay down on the tatami. The Lady of the East did as she was told and Kagome put one hand on the youkai's womb. She closed her eyes and started chanting. After a while she was able to find the place the curse was put on. Her miko powers flared around her and into her palm, using her hand to guide them into the female's womb. The miko energy reached the dark curse and started __fighting it. It was a strong one, cast by a dark miko. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, still fighting back the dark curse in the female's womb._

_After a long period she felt the darkness crack and knew it would not take long until the curse was lifted. Moments later the pressure in Chiyo's belly lifted and a bright light surged from it. The curse was lifted. Kagome stood from her crouching position and tried to speak but all she could say was:_

'_I have brought life.' _

_After that she lost consciousness. The curse had been stronger than she ever imagined. Sesshoumaru was next to her in a moment, catching her in his powerful arms.

* * *

_

With that the vision dissipated and she opened her eyes. Sesshoumaru was standing across from her, waiting for her to finish her meditation and lower the barrier. She stood and brushed her fingers against it.

'Come, we must finish our training.'

'Hai Sesshoumaru.'

* * *

**_AN. : I want to thank all my readers and my reviewers, though I am a little upset ... my last chapter had like 400 hits and only 5 reviews ... I would be so happy if more of you would review my story. Maybe you have something to ask me? Or to comment upon my story? _**

**_Anyway, thank you to all the persons that reviewed for their king and nice words. I also want to thank to everyone that read the story so far ;)_**

**_One more thing I have to say: I have used some new names in this story. I must tell you that I have found them in different fanfictions and liked them. I didn't have the chance to ask the authors if I may use them for I do not know anymore where I found them exactly._**

**_Ja ne._**


	14. Second Test

**_AN. : Hello my fellow readers and writers ;) I am sorry for the long waiting, I sure hope you will forgive me. here it is: Chapter 14, hope you will enjoy._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or the characters.

* * *

_**The rest of the day was a tiresome but blissful and long-awaited training session. She was making progress and Sesshoumaru was glad of it. They stopped around dinner time. They were supposed to eat dinner with the other Taiyoukai, so they left the dojo and went straight for their chamber. They indulged into a soak in the hot spring and dressed for dinner. They were both wearing white garments. Kagome was dressed into a white simple kimono with an obi the color of yellow and blue. Sesshoumaru had on white haori and hakamas and a blue and yellow sash.

When they entered into the dinning room, which was quite a small and intimate one, they noticed that Amarante, Kagetora and Kouga were already there. They took their places at the low table, kneeling on the tatami and waited for Hinode and Chiyo. Moments later they arrived and after they were seated on the tatami, next to their guests, the servants entered with their food. It was not a sumptuous meal, since all seven ate raw meat, but the important thing was for them to feel comfortable one with each other and speak in a casual manner about the latest news.

After they ate and the servants took away the plates, the tea was brought. One cup of steamy tea later, Amarante asked, successfully breaking the silence:

'Kagome, I have noticed yesterday, during your training with Sesshoumaru, a strange-looking marking above your heart. Do you mind telling us what it means?'

At her question, Kagome's eyes snapped from their previous position on a particular long, claw-like mark on the table to Amarante's but turned her gaze almost immediately.

'What do you mean, Amarante?' Hinode asked puzzled. She looked around the table and saw everyone's eyes, with the exception of Sesshoumaru's and Kagome's, fixing her, puzzled expressions within their depths.

'Has no one noticed it?' Taking the general silence as a negative answer she added:

'Well it looks like a green tiny droplet encased in a pink fire. But what is more curious about it, is that it looked alive. I mean the droplet was shining and the flames of the fire were playing into an non-existent wind.'

At her last words, Hinode gasped loudly. He knew what that marking was and what it implied. He and Chiyo were the only ones old enough to know about it. Amarante, Sesshoumaru and Kouga were mere pups when it was last spoken of that bond.

'Hinode? You know what that is?' Amarante asked him.

'Hai I know what it is and what symbolizes. As you know there are two very powerful bonds between two beings. One of them is the blood bond. You all know what it means to have a blood bond with another youkai. The second as you know, and more powerful, is the mating bond. Now you do not know of this, but there is a third one, which is by far the most powerful and important one. It is called the Seimei bond. It is a very rare one; in fact the last one I know of occurred while I was a pup and it was between my grandfather, a great lion demon, and a male water dragon demon. It is so rare for it combines both the blood bond and the mating bond. Plus the two parts must trust each other completely and must be very powerful. It is said it actually bonds the two's souls. Kagome, is it true you share such a bond?'

'Hai, it is true.'

'Who is the one that has the twin marking, Kagome?'

'I am sorry Amarante, but it is a personal matter and I wish to keep it that way. I do not want to offend any of you with my answer.'

'Sesshoumaru, did you know of this until now?'

'Hai. I knew. She is my intended so there are no secrets between us.'

'And do you also know who the one she shares the bond with is?'

'Hai.'

'Sesshoumaru, you must tell us.' Amarante pressed.

'Hn. No, I do not.'

'Kagome-

Amarante was stopped from her vain try of persuading them in telling her the truth by her mate:

'Amarante, she told us she wishes to keep it a personal matter. It is not our business to know of such thing. Her intended knows and I am sure he would have told us if there were something that could endanger our lands and people.'

'But-

'No buts, Amarante. That is enough.'

'Kagome, you may tell them.' At his words, Kagome turned her head to look him in the eyes. She did not expect that from him.

'This bond was supposed to remain a secret, so I ask of you all not to tell anyone of it.' She finally added, after being sure he gave her permission to divulge it.

'Hai, you have our words and honor.'

'Thank you. Well, as you already said, this bond is very powerful and my ningen body was not able to contain it. I would have died should I remained a human. That is actually the main reason I have changed into what I am today. I had a choice. I could have change back into the Goddess I was so many centuries ago, but the wrong the Kamis have done to me and the others around me, especially the ones from the House of the Moon, has made me decide to remain in this realm. Thus I have changed into a demoness, having Sesshoumaru as my youkai model. I share the Seimei bond with Sesshoumaru. That is how I have received his claws and poison.'

At her speech, everyone around the table gasped in awe. They did not know what to say. The information about the quarrel between Kagome and the Kamis awestruck them. And the news she shared such a powerful bond with Sesshoumaru equally frightened and amazed them. The idea of Sesshoumaru sharing a bond with someone, and a female to that, was a concept they could not grasp.

Seeing their expressions, Kagome said:

'Surely you knew I was the Goddess of Fate.'

'Yes of course, but we never knew you chose not to be a Megami anymore and instead remain amongst ningen and youkai.' Amarante said, after a few moments of silence. 'Sesshoumaru, I never expected you to share a bond with anyone. Not even the mating bond. Sure I would expect you to mark your mate, but not to let her mark you, and yet I see now you have agreed to the utmost powerful bond of them all.'

'Hn.' was all Sesshoumaru said.

At Amarante's comment, Kagome's eyes locked with the Taiyoukai's in hope she would find the answer to the question that has been bugging her for quite some time now. Unfortunately, all that his eyes seemed to say was: _'We will talk in the confines of our chamber.'_

'Kagome, do you mind showing us the marking?' Hinode asked.

'Iie, I don't mind.' She loosened her obi enough to allow her the movement of parting her kimono so she could show them the small mark. After a few moments, she added:

'Do you wish to know what it symbolizes? The green droplet is in fact Sesshoumaru's poison and the pink fire is my miko power. Sesshoumaru's mark is a pink droplet encased in a green fire.' She said in a small voice. She adjusted her kimono and obi and decided not to speak anymore.

Eyes downcast and a grief filled aura, Kagome said in a small voice:

'Please excuse me, I am tired after all the training and I wish to retire to my chamber.' She bowed her head before her departure and left the room. No sooner she reached her room, the door closed behind her, she allowed the tears to fall freely.

'Sesshoumaru, did you not talk with her about the mating ceremony?'

'I have given her some parchments to read about it.'

'That does not suffice. No parchment contains all that happens in a youkai mating ceremony. You have to speak with her and tell her about these things. She was quite upset at my question, or maybe at your answer, or lack of it that is.' Amarante chided him. 'You better go and talk with her.'

'If you have no other problems to discuss, I will retire also.' Sesshoumaru stood, nodded to them all and elegantly exited the room. Once he reached his chamber's door, Sesshoumaru could smell the salt in the air. _'She is crying._' Entering the room, he saw her laid on the bed with her head buried deep in the soft pillows.

'Kagome.' He whispered, not wanting to scare her. At his bare whisper, she jerked upwards, immediately assuming a sitting position, her back to him.

'I am sorry for crying, my Lord. I will immediately wipe my tears away.'

'Precious one … why are you so distraught?'

'I-I-I-I' she began, trying to choke down her hiccups.

'Kagome, we need to talk. Please put up the sound barrier so no prying ears could eavesdrop.'

She listened to him and put up the barrier. The instant she finished chanting, she felt strong arms enveloping her slim waist, well toned muscles pressed to her back.

'Tell me what has saddened you so?'

'Amarante's comment about the mating marking. She was right, wasn't she? You will never allow anyone to mark you, not even your own mate. I will be marked by you, so other youkai could know I am taken by other male, but you will not have my marking. The demonesses will never cease ogling you and trying to get you as long as you do not have a marking.'

'Precious one. I will bear your marking and I will do it with pride. Do not be such an infant; do you think this Sesshoumaru would be such disrespectful to his mate?'

'Really? Will you allow me to mark you? Are you serious?'

'Does this Sesshoumaru speak untruths?'

'Iie.' she said in a small voice. She let loose a small cry of surprise when she felt herself being pulled in the Taiyoukai's lap. He kissed her crescent moon marking and then each of her eyes and finally spoke:

'Sleep, little one. Tomorrow will be a long day and you will need all the rest you can get. I can tell you will receive your second test during the gathering.'

'Hai. Good night.'

'Good night.' He kissed her lips gently and lay down on the bed, Kagome curled at his chest. She fell asleep quite fast, his steady heartbeat and even breaths lulling her into a restful sleep.

When dawn came, both Kagome and Sesshoumaru awoke, she from a deep rest, he from a cat-nap. They followed their routine of going to the inner hot spring and cleaning themselves and then dressing into their training attires. They went to the door and Kagome put down the barrier, allowing them to go to the little dinning room for breakfast.

'Ohayou, Amarante.' said both Taiyoukai and Kagome upon entering the small room.

'Ohayou, you two. Kagome, are you alright?'

'Hai, arigatou for worrying.'

They sat at the low table and ate in silence. When they were finished, Amarante spoke again:

'Come, the others must be on their way to the meeting chamber.' They exited the room and walked towards their destination. After walking approximately half an hour, they reached a hallway, painted in motives of the four Houses. The hallway reached to beautiful cherry double doors, encrusted with the markings of the Houses: the crescent moon, the sun, the water and the fire, all within one marking. Kagome gasped in surprise at the scene before her.

'They signify the union between the four cardinal lands. The markings forming one means that the four Taiyoukai and their Houses are allies and they rule together as one. That is why we have all these meetings, so we can ponder over the problems our lands have and try to resolve them.'

'It is beautiful. I never thought there is something like this.'

'Each of our castles has a room like this.'

'What do you mean with "a room like this"?'

'The door to this room will not open unless the Taiyoukai touch at the same time the four markings on the door. That way the enchantment will allow us to enter. No other person will be able to disturb us once the door closes behind us. The enchantments do not allow anyone to eavesdrop also. In all matters, we will have privacy.' No sooner he finished his words that they picked up the faint sounds of feet approaching. The others were coming. Minutes later the four Taiyoukai were all gathered in front of the great door, touching their respective marks. Upon recognition, the magnificent double doors opened by themselves and as soon as everyone was inside, they closed swiftly.

The room was simple. In the middle stood a low table with pillows around it to sit on. There was a fireplace on a wall, which unfortunately had no fire burning in. The wall opposite to the door was all made of glass, giving a beautiful view over the gardens and when evening, upon the magnificent sunset. The rest of the walls were filled with parchment cases. Kagome looked around her at the small room with interest, taking in everything. They waited for the Eastern Lord and Lady to sit down, and then they all sat, except for Kagetora who went to the fireplace to start the fire. The room was quite chilly and Kagome started shivering, therefore Sesshoumaru chose a sitting place for them as close as possible to the burning fire.

'Our problems at the border between the North and West have not ceased. This year two more villages in the North and one in the West were abandoned.' started Amarante, Lady of the North.

'I know. We must find an answer to this, and we must find it soon.' Sesshoumaru added.

'What are these problems?' Kagome asked, not knowing what they were talking about.

'At the border between the Northern Lands and the Western one the villages are being abandoned. There is no running water in the area. Every fountain they dig dries within the hour. No plants or crop grow and the game is long gone from those parts.' Amarante told.

'So basically the problem is with the water. Could it be a curse, or enchantment maybe?'

'We do not know, but I for one find it quite hard to put an enchantment or curse over such a huge expand of land. It is as if the waters are retiring from the lands.'

'Then why don't we speak with the Elder of the South? As I have been told she is able to bring water even in the driest of lands. Should we talk to her and get her to help us I am sure I can regenerate the plants and crops. And I am sure we can find the Elder of the North and ask her to help us with the game.' Kagome gave her opinion.

'It would be a wonderful plan, but unfortunately we do not know were to find the Elder of the South. She has vanished from the earth.' Amarante said matter-of-factly.

'What about the Elder of the North? Do you know where she is?'

'Hai. The Northern Taiyoukai keeps the secret of her whereabouts. I could go and talk with her and ask her to help. But it would be pointless to have her help without having the water problem resolved.'

'Kouga, do you know nothing about Izanagi?' Kagome asked him.

'Iie. No one knows where she is, if she is still alive. Come to think of it there is a story we have about a powerful and beautiful female. The story says that on the very top of the utmost southern mountain in the Southern Lands lays a beautiful lake. And in this lake a very beautiful and powerful female lives. She is known as The Lady of the Lake. Legend says that many males soughed her for mating her, trying to rein the creature of utmost beauty and purity. But they never returned, only very few, the ones that were honorable and did not try to mate her by force. The legend says that the ones that wanted to take her by force were pulled into the lake, therefore finding their ends.' Kouga told them.

'That is a start. It would be a good starting point, should you choose to take my opinion in consideration.'

'Yes you are right. Kouga, do you know where this mountain is?'

'Yes, it is said to be in the most southern point of my lands. I know how to get there.'

'What do you all think about Kagome's opinion?' Amarante asked.

'I think she is right. We have tried everything else but couldn't resolve this pressing matter. I agree with sending someone to this mountain and see if The Lady of the Lake is not in fact Izanagi.' Hinode answered.

'We could try. I can give you a scout or even go myself. If this council chooses to take this advice and send a party to talk with the female, then I will help.' Kouga added.

'It is a good idea but we cannot chase a legend. We do not know for sure there even is a mountain where the story says it is. We cannot follow this advice.' Sesshoumaru expressed his opinion.

'On the contrary, I think it would be the best thing we could do given the circumstances.' Hinode added. 'We have no other choice, we tried bringing water from other villages, we tried building some water-retainers also, but the land just absorbed it. We tried digging deeper wells but it did not do any difference.'

'Then if you all three think it is a good choice, I also agree. We shall send a party to this Lady of the Lake, and should she be Izanagi, they will try and convince her to come in our aid.'

'But who can we send? Do you have someone in mind?'

'I will go. Since they are my lands, I can manage easily and reach her as fast as possible.' Kouga offered.

'With all do respect, I do not think you are the best choice. No male in this room is a good choice. I think we should send a female to talk with her.'

'Why do you think that, Kagome?'

'Well Chiyo, think of the story Kouga told us. She has punished all the males that wanted to take her as their mates. She might think that our envoy seeks the same thing, whereas if we send a female she will not try and kill her as soon as she feels her presence.'

'A good judgment, Kagome.' said Kagetora. 'I agree. If she is bitter because of the amount of males coming to claim her as their mate, a female would be a better choice to send.'

'But who can we send? Who can we trust with this important deed?' Chiyo asked.

'I have the perfect answer. Kagome, this shall be your second test. Go to the Southern Lands and seek this Lady of the Lake. Should she be Izanagi, convince her to come to our aid. This way, I will test your bravery and your persuading ability.' Amarante said. The second test was given now, Kagome was bound to follow Amarante's words and not back down.

'Hai, Amarante.'

'I will accompany you.' Sesshoumaru said matter-of-factly.

'You are allowed to go with her with the only condition to not help her with her task.'

'I will not. I merely want to make sure she will survive the trip.'

'And I will come as your scout. I will help you find the mountain.'

'I will not allow you to come with me up the mountain. You will both remain at its feet, for I do not want anything to happen to you.' Kagome told the two males.

This issue being resolved somehow, they continued talking about the rest of the problems they had in the four cardinal lands. Slowly, the day passed and the sun set, giving the room's inhabitants a beautiful view over the magnificent retire of the orb. Not long after that, they have finished the discussion. Before they all stood, Sesshoumaru decided to bring up the most important issue, so he said:

'Hinode, Chiyo, you must choose.'

'Very well Sesshoumaru. Give us some time and we will tell you of our decision.' Hinode said, grief latched in his aura and words.

'You have seven sunrises and seven sunsets. We will meet again after the eighth sunrise and you will tell us what you have decided.'

'Thank you. Kagome, before everyone leaves the room I must tell you something. I want to give you the third test, for it is a test you must think upon carefully. I am giving it to you now so when you come back from the Southern lands you may fulfill the last one. The third test is to bring life on earth with the help of your miko powers.'

'Very well, Hinode.'

Kagome stood from her pillow and approached Chiyo. She took Chiyo's hand and gingerly asked her to lay down on the tatami. The Lady of the East did as she was told and Kagome put one hand on the youkai's womb. She closed her eyes and started chanting. After a while she was able to find the place the curse was put on. Her miko powers flared around her and into her palm, using her hand to guide them into the female's womb. The miko energy reached the dark curse and started fighting it. It was a strong one, cast by a dark miko. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, still fighting back the dark curse in the female's womb.

After a long period she felt the darkness crack and knew it would not take long until the curse was lifted. Moments later the pressure in Chiyo's belly lifted and a bright light surged from it. The curse was lifted. Kagome stood from her crouching position and tried to speak but all she was able to say was:

'I have brought life.'

After that she lost consciousness. The curse had been stronger than she ever imagined. Sesshoumaru was next to her in a moment, catching her in his powerful arms.

Hinode and Chiyo were looking at each other, not able to say anything. Even if the curse was lifted, they were quite old and did not know if she could have pups anymore. And what was worse, they could not know sooner than fifteen sunsets so they still needed to choose an heir for their lands.

Sesshoumaru lifted Kagome in his arms and went to the door. They all gathered around him and touched their respective House's marks so the door would open and exited. He took her in their chamber and laid her on the bed, pulling the covers over her. He climbed in the bed himself and brought her in his strong embrace, giving her warmth and security. He would wait for her to wake up and then they would go and eat.

Little he knew that when she lifted the curse from Chiyo's womb it backfired on her, so now she was fighting it, which left her unconscious. The next morning, Kagome was still dead to the world and Sesshoumaru started to worry. He tried to wake her up by gently shaking her, but it didn't work. He tried with some water but that was in vain also.

Upon seeing Sesshoumaru and Kagome were not at breakfast, Hinode decided to seek them. After he finished his dish, he excused himself and hurriedly made his way to the Lord's chamber. He knocked gently at the door and entered when allowed.

'Ohayou, Sesshoumaru. How is Kagome?'

'She is still unconscious. She didn't wake up since yesterday evening, after lifting the curse on Chiyo's womb.'

At his last statement, Hinode's expression changed. His eyes narrowed in sadness and his aura filled with grief. He knew why Kagome didn't wake up by now.

'Speak, Hinode. It seems you know what the matter with my mate-to-be is.'

'Hai, I know. When the curse was placed on Chiyo's womb, she fell unconscious for seven sunsets and seven sunrises. Just before the eighth sunrise a black light engulfed her entirely for a few moments. When it retreated, Chiyo woke up. If Kagome does not wake up before the eighth sunrise, the curse will be put on her womb. I assure you Sesshoumaru I did not intend for something like this to happen.'

'Hai, I know. It was her choice to help you. She is powerful and I know she will fight it and win.' Although his cold emotionless mask was in its place, Hinode sensed the trepidation within his best friend's pup. It pained him to have brought this upon Sesshoumaru's and Kagome's fates.

'I am truly sorry. Should you need my help or that of my mate in anything just tell us.'

'Arigatou, Hinode.'

That being said, Hinode left the room. Once the door was closed and he was sure no one could see or feel his aura, Sesshoumaru let his pain take rein over his face and aura. He climbed in the bed, took Kagome in his embrace and started whispering loving words into her ear, always asking her to fight for their future pups.

Kagome was surrounded by darkness. It was so dense she could not even see her hand. But somewhere in the distance she saw a pink glow, calling her and assuring her nothing was going to happen to her. She took a tentative step and then another and another, until she reached the pink light. She took a good look at it and saw it was actually a beautiful woman. She was almost as tall as Sesshoumaru. She had black wavy tresses that reached her mid-thighs, and black eyes. On her forehead she had the marking of the Goddess of Fate. She was wearing a pure white kimono, with a black design on the ends and a black obi. The female looked very much like Kagome used to look before she changed into a demoness.

'Who are you? Where are we?' Kagome said.

'I am Nadeshiko, the Goddess of Fate. And you are Kagome, miko protector of the Shikon no Tama. We are now inside your conscious.'

'How is it that you are here? I thought that when I changed I lost everything that was the Goddess of Fate. Well everything with the exception of the element.'

'You cannot lose everything that is Nadeshiko. I simply lay dormant inside your conscious. I have shown myself to you now for there is a great danger upon you. Should you not find the dark miko and fight her curse, it will be placed on your womb. You must look for her in this darkness, which is due to her, and overpower her. Only after you purify her, the curse will be forever lifted and she defeated.'

'How am I to find her and what will happen after I defeat her?'

'After you defeat her, and be careful for you must do it quickly for you have no much time, my conscious and powers as a Megami will entwine with yours and we will become one forever. The Goddess Nadeshiko will be forgotten and the demoness Kagome will be remembered. You will be able to tap into my powers also and rein and use them as you wish. Now go and find the dark miko.'

'How will I find her?'

'Let your miko powers loose and she will come to you. She will feel the purity in your powers and she will come to taint them.'

Kagome did as she was told and let her miko energy flare around her. Just as her aura increased and she was taping into her holy powers, a horrid shriek reached her ears. The dark miko was approaching, Kagome could feel her aura, filled with anger and dark wishes. Her soul was completely tainted; there was no way in helping her anymore. She did not have to wait too long to see the other miko standing in front of her. Due to her flaming aura, the darkness subsided and she was able to see now.

The woman standing in front of her was not taller than Kagome. She had long dark tresses, reddish brown eyes and wrinkled skin. She was old, but her hand never quivered in her stance.

'So you are the pure soul I have felt? It does not matter; I will taint your soul and let my curse take control of your womb. You will never be able to bear a child.'

'Who are you and why did you put the curse on Chiyo?'

'I am Ankoku, the dark miko. I have put that curse on her for she defied me in a battle. She killed me, but not before managing to curse her.'

'Well I have lifted the curse.'

'I do not know how you managed such a thing but the curse will be now put on your womb.'

'No it will not for I shall fight you.' Kagome said, assuming a defensive stance. Upon seeing this, Ankoku fell into a similar one and waited. Seeing Kagome was not about to strike the first blow she lunged for the pure soul in front of her. Kagome dodged the attack and quickly formed a ball of miko energy, which she released towards the dark priestess. Ankoku put up a black barrier and Kagome's energy was stopped in its track. But she did not feel disappointed, for she formed energy ball after energy ball and sent them in the black barrier, managing to crack it and hit her opponent, sending her flying for some meters. In a blink of an eye, Kagome was towering over Ankoku's limp form. She formed another energy ball and this time it encompassed the dark priestess and purified her.

The moment she did this, Nadeshiko appeared in front of her and said:

'Very well done. You must now complete our becoming a whole. You must encompass me with the same energy ball and shrink it as much as you can without purifying me. Then you have to allow the energy ball enter your body.'

Kagome nodded and did what she was told. She entrapped Nadeshiko in a pink barrier and started shrinking it. Careful not to purify the Goddess' spirit and conscious, Kagome shrank the barrier until it was not bigger than a tennis ball. Then she allowed it to enter her body. The moment it disappeared in her body, a bright white light burst into the dark and surrounded her.

While her fight lasted only a few moments inside her conscious, in the real world it took Kagome seven sunrises and six sunsets. Just before the seventh sunset her body was encompassed in a bright white light and moments later, when it faded, she opened her eyes.

'Kagome, are you alright?'

'Hai, I am. How is Chiyo?'

'She is perfectly fine. The curse has been lifted but she does not think she could have a pup since she is many centuries old. How are you?'

'I am well. The curse was about to be put on me but I defeated Ankoku, the dark miko, and purified her forever. Please, can you bring Chiyo here?'

'Hai. I will send Liu to bring her. Liu, go and tell Lady Chiyo that Lady Kagome has awaken and requests her presence.'

'Hai, My Lord.'

In mere minutes, Chiyo was entering the room.

'Kagome, are you well?'

'Hai, Chiyo. I have called you to tell you the curse was purified forever and you have nothing to worry about anymore. Ah, Hinode, come in and do not stand at the door.' Kagome added.

'I did not wish to disturb your conversation, Kagome.'

'Chiyo, please come closer. Sesshoumaru, I need to reach her, for I want to check something. Please, if you can, take me to the edge of the bed.'

Sesshoumaru lifted her in his powerful arms and brought her to the bed's edge, placing her in-between his legs, leaning her against his chest.

'Thank you. Chiyo, please come closer.'

The Lady of the East did what she was told and approached Kagome. The miko placed one palm on the female's womb and allowed some of her healing powers course through it. She was also extending her aura to check something. Upon reaching with her healing powers into Chiyo's womb, Kagome sensed what she was looking for: a small presence. Chiyo was with pup. She used her healing powers to repair what damage the curse may have made in the youkai's belly and then retreated them. She gently took her palm from the belly and looked up at Chiyo, smiling warmly up to her.

'Chiyo, Hinode, congratulations. Chiyo, you are with pup. You will have a healthy heir in no time. Hinode, I have brought life in this world with the help of my powers.'

'Hai, and to that I thank you and remain forever in your debt.'

'You need not to, for I would have done it even if you didn't ask for me to bring life. I saw it in your fate. I knew from the moment I saw your mate about the curse. I could sense it, but I could not do anything until Fate didn't tell me to.'

'Lady Kagome, you have passed my test, therefore I deem you worthy of being Lord Sesshoumaru's mate.' said Hinode.

As he finished with his declaration Kagome's mark from the corner of her eye flared and turned the color of blood red, but just as it happened it ended and returned to its initial shade, only this time it was almost completely red.

'_Only one test to overcome. But I have a feeling this will be my toughest test ever. Amarante chose well to submit me to this one.'_

'Sesshoumaru, will we be returning to the Western castle before we go towards the Southern Land in search for Izanagi?'

'Iie, we will leave from here. I have already told Liu she is to take Ah-Un and go back to the castle. She is to take care of the pups and see for their needs until we return. It would be pointless to go back just to return for the Southern Lands.'

'Hai, I understand. Too long of a detour.'

'Hinode, I want to ask you and your mate something. May I?'

'Hai, Kagome.'

'What was the choice you had to make and tell it at the meeting from tomorrow?'

'Ah, Kagome. You see, since Chiyo was cursed by that dark miko we could not have an heir. We had to chose a suitable heir for our lands and we were to give the answer to the other three Taiyoukai.'

'And who did you think of leaving your Lands to, should I have not lifted the curse?'

At her question, Hinode looked at Chiyo and then chose to speak:

'We had decided upon you as the Eastern Taiyoukai, should Chiyo's womb not be able to produce an heir. We were set in saying this the next morrow at the meeting. We knew of your pure soul and your kind heart and we were sure you would be a very good ruler. And we also know you will be the most beloved Lady since the beginning of the Taiyoukai existence. I know for sure no Lady, being her Western, Eastern, Northern or Southern was as loved as you will be by your people.'

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise at his statement. She did not know they were about to chose her as the next Taiyoukai of the East. If that would have been the case, the Eastern Lands would have been united with the Western ones and come under the rule of Sesshoumaru. _'Good thing I have lifted the curse and helped them. A House should not die because a dead miko keeps a grudge for centuries after her death.'_

'I am honored by your kind words, Hinode. Thank you.'

'No Kagome, I thank you for what you have done for us. Now the House of the Sun will grow and have an heir.' Chiyo said, bowing from her waist.

Kagome blushed at the honor she was showed and bowed her head in acknowledge. After Hinode and Chiyo left their room, Sesshoumaru and Kagome remained alone, cuddled on the bed.

'Sesshoumaru, did I act as a true Lady should have?'

'Hai, you acted according to the rules. You did not mistreat or offend any of them.'

'What do you think the last test will be like?'

'Nothing you cannot surpass. I trust you to succeed in this tryout as you did with the curse.'

'Hai, I will do my best. You know what happened while I was unconscious?'

'Iie.'

'Nadeshiko, the Megami of Fate, came to me and told me I must fight Ankoku, the dark miko, for should I not purify her my womb will be cursed as Chiyo's was. Everything around me was so dark I could not see anything. At first I was so scared. But after I defeated her, Nadeshiko's conscious and soul entwined with mine and we became whole. Upon encompassing her into my being a bright white light surged into the darkness that surrounded me and then I woke up.'

'Hn. The same bright white light encompassed your body moments before you woke up. If we didn't share the Seimei bond, I would have been purified. I could feel the purifying energy coursing through my veins as if it were quicksilver.'

At his last words, Kagome's jaw practically hit the floor. She did not know the bright light surged from her conscious and engulfed her body also. And to know that her intended would have been purified, but for the Seimei bond, saddened her.

'I am happy we share this bond Sesshoumaru, for it has spared your life.' she said before planting a chaste kiss on his lips. The mere act made her blush to the roots of her hair.

'That it did.'

Those were their last words before they fell asleep, though Sesshoumaru did not rest that night. He was standing on guard, making sure nothing happened to Kagome, and therefore his House's fate.

Next morning, after eating their breakfast, they made their way to the Chamber of Four, for the meeting required all the Taiyoukai to be present when Chiyo and Hinode offered their decision. Even though Sesshoumaru and Kagome knew their answer, they had to be present. The others were already in front of the double-doors, waiting for the Western Taiyoukai. They opened the door and entered. They all took a seat on the pillows around the table and waited.

'Have you taken a decision, Hinode, Chiyo?' Amarante asked in a quiet voice. Everyone could see she did not find it easy to speak on this matter.

'Hai, we have reached a conclusion. We had chosen Lady Kagome as an heir, but last night she told us something that made us change our minds. Chiyo is with pup.'

Amarante gasped in surprise at both pieces of news. But when she saw the happiness in both Hinode's and Chiyo's faces she smiled warmly at them. And then she looked at Kagome and instantly noticed she had passed the second test.

'So this means the House of the Sun is to live. But Chiyo, will it not be difficult for you to bear a pup?'

'Hai, it would. And I am not sure yet what damages the curse let in my womb.'

'There are no damages. I have healed them last evening, when I gave you the news of being with pup. I am not sure if I shall tell you this, but you will have a male pup. Your heir will be strong and wise, Hinode. You will be proud of him.'

'Oh Kagome thank you so much.' Chiyo said, tears of happiness falling freely on her cheeks.

'So this means you will have only one test to pass, Kagome and after that you and Sesshoumaru will be mated. I trust you will not fail in this final try for I really want to see small Sesshoumarus and Kagomes running around in the Western palace. When are you to leave for the Southern Lands?'

'In the morrow. We have everything we need. We will leave with Kouga at dawn.' said Sesshoumaru, hiding his reaction to Amarante's comment. Kagome however was not a master of controlling her emotions, therefore she blushed from head to toe, a knowing smile playing on her lips. A smile that no one but Chiyo saw.

'We wish you a safe and fructuous passage.' Amarante said.

'Thank you.'

That being said they opened the door and exited, each of them choosing to spend the remaining of the day in their own benefit. Sesshoumaru and Kagome chose to train, Hinode and Chiyo started preparing a room for their pup, Amarante chose the library, and Kagetora and Kouga spent it speaking about the lands' future.

* * *

**_AN. : Well I do not have much to say, only this: 'Ankoku' means 'darkness' and 'Seimei' means 'soul/spirit'. _**

**_I would also want to thank everyone who reviewed my previous chapter ... you guys rock. Thank you very much for your wonderful reviews._**

**_Please be kind with this chapter, for I know it is not as good as the previous ones and for that I am sorry. _**

**_Review please._**

**_Ja ne._**


	15. The final test

**_AN.: Hello everyone. Here is the fifteen chapter. Hope you enjoy it. _**

**_I have something important to ask you: DO YOU WANT ME TO END THIS STORY NEXT CHAPTER? Because it could be the final chapter, the mating ceremony. If you don't want it though I might think of something else and I will not finish it ;) . If you do not say anything, I will take your silence as a 'finish the damn story' response._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters.

* * *

_**The night was not as peaceful as the others until now. She could not fall in the deep sleep that claimed her every night. Her sleep was plagued by nightmares of the day Inuyasha died and she was more and more nervous. She would not be able to rest for the coming journey they were about to start in the morning. So she stood from the bed, took a look at Sesshoumaru, who she was certain was not sleeping and knew what she was about to do, dressed herself in a training outfit, took her weapons and left the room. 

She was set to go to the gardens so she exited the castle and once in the castle's grounds she picked up a tall and huge tree and sat under it. The cool air of winter was calming her jumpy mood, so she let it play around her, her silver locks engaged in a dance with the cool breeze. The tree was magnificent. Its long powerful boughs were slightly bent towards the ground because of the snow's pressure.

She settled herself into a meditative pose, took her weapons and put them in front of her and closed her eyes. She allowed the cool air to caress her body for some more moments and then she erected her barrier. She was going to meditate and let the stream of memories drown her. She was set into remembering everything that happened that day so maybe after that she will calm enough to rest some more. She did not know why, now of all the nights that passed, she was having nightmares about that fatal day. And then she remembered: a month had passed since he was killed. She gritted her teeth in fury for the Kamis and Megamis that allowed him to die and concentrated on her inner turmoil.

_**Flashback**_

_It was dawn in their camp and you could already hear voices yelling all around. It was Inuyasha who took it upon himself to wake them up every morning. When it came to waking up Kagome though it was always a challenge, for she always sat him a couple of times until she decided to awake for his mouth was too foul to take it anymore. She gathered her bathing supplies and went to the hot spring from their vicinity and came back some good hour after leaving._

_Inuyasha was furious and started bickering her so her anger rose and started yelling at him for his foul mouth and jumpy mood he seemed to be as of lately. Miroku was unconscious under a sakura tree, a nasty looking handprint on his cheek, Sango was cooking them breakfast, all the time muttering something about lecherous monks and Shippou and Kirara were enjoying the scene unfolding in front of them, a big grin plastered on their faces. Yup, this was ordinary in their little tachi, so no worry. _

_They were on the move for some good hours when Kagome stilled. She felt the tug of a Shikon shard, only that this one was too powerful. Actually, it was too powerful to be a couple of them. When she realized what it was, her eyes widened in fear, surprise and confusion. When Inuyasha saw her stop he immediately started bickering her for her repeated breaks and her being ningen. She shut his mouth with a: _

'_Sit boy!' and proceeded explaining the others what was happening. _

'_Minna, Naraku is approaching. I can feel the Shikon no Tama, and it is coming this way.'_

_When they heard her words they all stilled in preparation. Inuyasha jumped from the ground as soon as the enchantment's effect diminished and stood on Kagome's right side, Tessaiga drawn. _

'_Sango, will you allow Kirara to take Shippou away from the battle? I am afraid for their safety and I really do not want anything to happen to them.'_

'_Of course Kagome.'_

_Kagome took her adopted kit in her arms, gave him a hug and set him on Kirara's transformed back. She concealed their scents and auras and said:_

'_Shippou, if by chance we lose the battle and Naraku manages to put all the jewel together and kill us, go and find Sesshoumaru. Tell him about what happened and pray to Gods he will be able to kill Naraku, for he would be the last hope the entire world has.' She kissed his forehead and Kirara took off. _

_The little party was standing in a clearing, weapons drawn, and waiting for the hanyou to reach them. They didn't have to wait too much, for Naraku was upon them in just mere minutes. Kagura and Kanna were with him. _

'_Ah, so we finally meet, little miko.' Naraku's oily voice sounded in the clearing. Kagome nearly shuddered because of it and glared at him. _

'_So you finally decided to step out of your hiding and face us?' Kagome asked him with a calm voice. _

'_So harsh words, my dear Kagome. I was not hiding, only merely preparing our encounter.'_

'_You coward. You will die today.' Inuyasha shouted, releasing his Scar Wind towards the three figures. The Kazee no Kizu was immediately rejected by Naraku's strong barrier and Inuyasha this time approached and let his Tessaiga change. Its blade became a blood red and when he felt the pull of enormous power he released another attack, this time successfully destroying the barrier. _

_Naraku's red eyes widened in surprise and he let his miasma take him away from the attack's imminent path. Kagura used her fan to divert the destructive power and Kanna was just about to use her mirror to repel it but Kagome outmatched her. She drew one arrow and notched it into the bow's string and shoot it to Kanna's mirror. It immediately shattered and let the spirits loose from it. Kanna was now defenseless in front of Inuyasha's Kazee no Kizu and when it reached her she embraced herself for the impact. She was killed on the spot, her body turned into a heap of ash._

'_Now, now Kagome, why did you have to kill one of my children? Did I do anything to you?'_

'_Yes of course you did. You killed everyone in Sango's village, took Kohaku with you to do your dirty work, cursed Miroku's line with the Kazaana and merely killed Inuyasha. You deserve to die Naraku, and today we will finish this.'_

'_Oh, my little miko, you will not be able to do that, for you see, I have almost completed the jewel. All I need are the few pieces that hung around your neck.'_

'_That means … Kouga, Kohaku … what did you do to them?'_

'_The wolf is still alive, he managed to escape my trap, but his shards were taken by Kagura. Kohaku on the other hand lies somewhere in a heap, just a mere corpse.' Seeing Sango's painful expression, Naraku started laughing, a malicious laugh that no one ever heard before. _

'_You will pay, Naraku.' Inuyasha yelled, lunging for the hanyou and releasing another attack. _

_This time Naraku dodged the attack and transformed into his hideous demonic side. He was a jumble of different kind of youkai, all kept together by the jewel that glowed red in one of his tentacle-like hands. _

_Kagura made a move to interfere between Inuyasha and Naraku but a purifying arrow attracted her attention to the three ningen standing on her left. They were prepared to fight, so she thought she would let Naraku fight his fights for once and take care of the three pathetic humans. _

'_Sango, Miroku, I'll go help Inuyasha. You fight Kagura here. I am sure you will manage to defeat her and kill her.' With those last words, Kagome made a dash towards Naraku, a pink energy ball forming in her palm. When she was sure she was close enough to him, she released it and it flied right to him, hitting him and instantly purifying some of his multiple tentacles. Unfortunately she did not see the one tentacle coming to her and wrapping itself around her waist. She shouted in shock and tried to purify it but until she managed it, another tentacle hit her just above her heart, piercing her shoulder and exiting through her back. It was drawn back and Naraku took advantage of her state and took the vial with the shards from around her neck. _

_When in the possession of the last shards, Naraku threw her in the way of another Kazee no Kizu that Inuyasha released in hope he will be able to save her from Naraku's grasp. The Wind Scar was approaching with such fierce and her body was in such pain from the gash that she nearly collapsed and let the power consume her. But then she saw Naraku putting together the jewel and she gathered her remaining energy and put up a barrier. Only it was not powerful enough to withstand the entire energy Inuyasha sent so it collapsed as the remains of it were to pass and she was slashed all over her body. _

_Inuyasha was immediately by her side and scooped her up in order to take her away, but he didn't manage to leave, for they were surrounded by Naraku's foul miasma. Kagome asked him to let her down and to take cover. She summoned all her powers and released them. In a flash the miasma was purified and they could again breathe fresh air. At that instant they heard a loud cry and they looked towards Miroku and Sango. They were both badly wounded, in fact they were on the verge of dying, but still Miroku released his Kazaana and managed to suck Kagura into the void in his palm. Then, with his last energy he closed his palm and put the beads back on. They fell to the ground with a thud, not being able to move any longer. _

_Naraku saw it and thought he could take advantage of their situation. He made a move towards them, but Inuyasha was there in a blink of an eye. Only that him being so close of Naraku backfired. Naraku sent his multiple tentacles towards the red-clad hanyou and managed after so many attempts, to hit him square in the chest. Then he implemented a few of them into Inuyasha's chest and belly, effectively knocking him to his knees. After that he used one of his tentacles to throw Inuyasha into a tree. _

_Kagome then screamed. She could not believe it. Inuyasha was not moving. But doing so, Naraku's attention snapped on her. She was wounded but she was still alive and she knew that with him having the entire jewel now the world would be in great danger. So she stood, took her bow and notched an arrow to its string. She pulled the string hard behind her, gathered all the power she could muster in her and poured it in the arrow, allowing her very soul to be attached to it. _

_When she was sure she would hit him square, she let the arrow loose. The bow snapped in her hand and she fell to her knees. She watched as the arrow hit Naraku and managed to purify him almost instantly. Then she saw Onigumo's soul floating above the pile of ash and her very soul directing it into the jewel. She managed to crawl the few meters to the place Naraku found his demise and reached for the Shikon no Tama. It was tainted and when Onigumo's soul was captured by it, it turned a blood red shade. When she touched the jewel, her soul hovered over her and reentered her body. She then crawled away from Naraku's ashes and collapsed. She was too tired and she had lost too much of her blood to be able to move anymore. She was sure she would die that very instant. _

_Instead, she felt the wind pick up a little and then a cold hand reached for her face to caress her._

'_Thank you, Kagome, for defeating Naraku and for finally letting me rest.' She opened her black eyes and looked into clay-like face, pale-looking skin and brown dull eyes. _

'_Kykio …how was it even possible to let my soul into the arrow and not die? I knew I was able to do that and I was keeping it as an ultimate solution, but I did expect to die.' Kagome whispered._

'_Kagome … you didn't die because of your pure heart and soul. You see, to really kill Naraku, his human soul had to be captured into the jewel you are now holding in your hand. You did not die, for you are not a simple ningen. You are more than that and Fate must come true. Arigatou for allowing me to rest, Kagome-sama.'_

'_What do you mean?' Kagome managed to say._

'_I was being able to walk the living world because I was linked with Naraku. Until he was not stopped and killed I could not take my place into the other world.'_

_With that, Kykio stood and walked to Inuyasha. She lovingly placed a kiss on his cold lips and then did something Kagome would have never expected. She cut the link that kept half of Kagome's soul trapped into the clay body and let it float towards its owner. At the instance the soul exited her cold body, she transformed into a pile of dirt. The soul came and reentered Kagome's body. She had a feeling of wholeness and felt her body aflame with miko powers she never knew she had. 'I guess my powers were unsealed once my soul was whole again.' was her last thought before she felt unconscious._

_**End of flashback**_

Kagome was still deep in thought in her meditative stance when she felt a presence approaching. She knew the aura and it was strong. She did not acknowledge it though and waited for the other being to speak first.

'Kagome-sama.'

'Noriko, why are you here?' Kagome asked, letting her barrier down.

'I came because I wished to talk with you. I have been here for some time but did not want to disturb you from your meditation.'

'I know you were here. I could sense your aura in the back of my mind.'

'I have seen you were restless. Why is that?'

'My sleep was plagued with nightmares. I came here because I needed to calm my body and mind. Tell me why did you come?'

'I came to tell you about the journey you are to start when morrow comes. You will find the Lady of the Lake and she will talk to you, but you must act as the Goddess and miko you are. You must not let your demon side take over, for she does not like youkai, being them females or males. She is Izanagi but she will not tell you that unless you manage to convince her of your good intentions.'

'Thank you, Noriko.'

'Why were you plagued with nightmares?'

'I kept dreaming about the day we fought Naraku. And I could not stand relieving the moment Inuyasha died. So I came to meditate.'

'But it didn't help you too much, did it?'

'No, it did help. I remembered everything that happened that day and it helped me understand some of the things I did not until now.' Kagome said in a melancholic tone.

'Kagome, your intended is approaching, I must take my leave. Take care on Mount Hakurei and do not take the two youkai male with you up to the lake.'

'Hai, arigatou Noriko.' That being said, Noriko floated away.

'Why are you here, little one?' came Sesshoumaru's voice a few moments later.

'I could not sleep, so I came to meditate for a while.'

Sesshoumaru came to her and sat behind her, put his arms on her waist and pulled her in his lap. When she realized what he did she blushed furiously. She hoped however that he did not saw it for the night was dark, due to the fact that there was no moon. He saw her cheeks taint pink and smirked inward at her reaction to his proximity.

'Who has come to see you? I sensed one of the Kamis in the garden just moments before I came here.'

'It was Noriko that came to me.'

'Why?'

'No reason actually. She saw I was restless and she came to see me.'

'I think I would like to go back to our room. I would like to sleep a little before we take our leave.' she said after a while.

'Alright.' He stood and in a few leaps he was back on their balcony and into the room. He put Kagome in the bed and climbed next to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and let her sleep. She fell into a light slumber almost immediately.

When dawn came he woke her up and told her to prepare. When they were all dressed up into their usual black training outfits, they went to breakfast. Kouga was already in the dinning hall waiting for them. They ate in silence and then walked to the castle's grounds. They were about to depart.

'How are we to travel?' Kagome asked.

'We will take it to the heights and follow Kouga towards our destination.'

'Iie, if you fly you will not be able to see me or sense me. We will get separated and we will have to stop and look for each other.'

'No, we will not. This Sesshoumaru is very capable of flying and following someone, especially such a wolf like yourself.'

'What do you mean with that, you mutt?'

'I was merely pointing out that your smell can be sensed from far away.'

'Why you mangy dog. First you take my intended and say she is yours and then you tell me I smell?' with that Kouga lunged to attack Sesshoumaru. Kagome, who was just about to snap from their bickering, got even angrier when she saw Kouga lounging for Sesshoumaru and when she heard him telling again that she was his intended.

She had had enough of this, she would put a stop to it the very instant. She saw red in front of her eyes and in a flash she was in front of Kouga, right hand in his neck, strangling it. She let her instinct take control over her and she growled low:

'Are you able to transform?'

Both males were shocked. Kagome was using the language of the youkai to speak to them. If Kouga's eyes were bulging out of their sockets, Sesshoumaru's narrowed just slightly. He was suspecting she could change into her demonic form, but now he was sure she was quite able to do it. He snapped out of his thoughts and answered for Kouga:

'Hai he can transform. His true form is an ookami, half the size my true one is.'

'Then we will travel in our true forms. Let's change.'

She let go of Kouga's neck and stepped a few paces back. She let loose her demon side and it took control. She was engulfed in pink, white and red light. Her body hovered above the ground and she curled herself into a tight fetal position. All this time it seemed that the three lights were fighting one with the other to take over her. A few moments later the red light overpowered the others and it seemed to explode from within her and expanded in the whole grounds of the castle.

Still in a fetal position, with her beautiful silver hair encircling it, her body started to change. Her face lengthened to the point of changing into a canine one; her claws and fangs also lengthened and sharpened even more. Her arms and legs grew and turned into powerful canine legs. Her hands and feet turned into huge paws. Her hair turned into silver fur. She kept her marking on her forehead and the two black stripes on her cheeks. She opened her eyes and looked at both the males with a frustrated look in her eyes.

Both Kouga and Sesshoumaru were speechless. Yes, Sesshoumaru could not say anything. For the first time in his life, he was not able to utter a word. Kouga was on the ground, in the same position he fell when Kagome dropped him. He was looking at her with disbelief written all over his face. He never heard of a female youkai changing into a true demon side. That was not possible. As far as he knew, females were not able to take the form, and yet here she was, standing in front of him, a true Inu demoness, in her dog form.

Kagome hit the ground with one of her enormous paws in aggravation. She growled at them, telling them to hurry up for they were losing precious time. Sesshoumaru snapped out of his awe first and growled back to her:

'**You will not be able to travel too much in that form. You are not used to it.'**

'_**But as long as I can travel let's leave. We lose precious time here and energy.'**_

They were interrupted from their barked conversation by Amarante and Hinode, who have come to see what all the commotion was about. When they first saw the gigantic dog in the castle's yard they thought it was Sesshoumaru, but when they reached them and saw Sesshoumaru to be in his humanoid form they instantly looked at Kagome and asked in a choir:

'Is that Kagome? How is this possible?'

'Hai that is her. I trust that the three entities inside her are the ones that give her this ability. She has managed to entwine them beautifully if she is able to transform.' Sesshoumaru said. Without any other adding, he leaped in the air and changed.

He was engulfed in a red light and his facial and body characteristics changed into those of a male canine. He was taller and bigger than Kagome, but that was to be expected. He was male and besides, he was older also. Seeing they both changed, Kouga followed their examples and transformed into his ookami side. He was only half the size of Sesshoumaru and Kagome, but he did not feel disadvantaged.

They leaped high in the sky and over the high gates and they started running. In the beginning they were running in a slower pace, for Kagome was not used to her demon form but after a few hours she relaxed and growled at them to go at their real pace.

When sunset approached, Kagome was a little weary. She could feel she needed some rest and she would not be able to keep the pace or even the youkai form much longer. Sesshoumaru sensed it and howled to Kouga to stop. They all stopped and he barked:

'**This Sesshoumaru thinks it is time to make camp. We will change into our humanoid forms and we will settle into the clearing. You Kouga will find dinner for us, for I have to talk with my mate-to-be.**'

'_**Ok, we will camp here.**_' Kagome agreed with a bark.

Kagome's demon side started to retreat in the confines of her soul and she started to change back into her humanoid form. The same red light engulfed her and as she was changing back the other two started to glow more and more until she was engulfed into pink white and red once again. When she opened her eyes next she was in Sesshoumaru's arms. She looked up at him and smiled. They locked eyes and said nothing. She was worn out, but she was not going to admit it to them.

'Tomorrow we travel on my youki cloud.' Sesshoumaru said in a soft voice. 'How was it possible for you to change in your youkai form?'

'What do you mean? I let my youkai take control.'

'But no other demoness ever was able to change. It is impossible for a female to change.'

'What? How come? Why?'

'I do not know, little one … but they don't. Maybe it is because they are not powerful enough to sustain such a form. For you need a tremendous amount of energy and power to change and to keep the form. You are weary, precious one. Due to the amount of energy you spend you would have collapsed and changed back, maybe even fell unconscious. You being able to travel at our fastest pace in our youkai forms for an entire day says much about your strength, power and energy. I am proud of you as I am honored to be your mate for the eternity.'

At his words, Kagome blushed madly. He really knew how to compliment a girl. And coming from him, she knew she could do nothing but trust him, for he never spoke untruths.

Kouga returned not long after that. Sesshoumaru was by then sitting on the ground with Kagome in his lap. Upon finding them in that position, Kouga snarled and turned around. He let their dinner fall on the floor and moved with his own portion of wild boar on the far end of the clearing. He was not going to just stay with them while they were in that position.

Kagome stood, went to the rest of the wild boar and took it to the little stream that crossed through the clearing and started skinning it. While she was busy doing this, Sesshoumaru cleared a small portion of the ground from the snow and waited for her. She came back, gave him his portion and they started eating. After they finished, he asked Kagome if she could build a fire with the help of her miko powers. She nodded and Sesshoumaru gathered some wood and put it in the spot he took care of earlier. She engulfed the wood with a purifying energy ball and the wood started burning.

The night passed slowly, Kagome peacefully sleeping in the Taiyoukai's lap. When dawn came they ate the rest of the wild boar and they took it to the sky on Sesshoumaru's cloud. Kouga was running in front of them in his true nature, guiding them towards south. They have spent several days on the road, trying to reach Mount Hakurei.

At the sunset of the fifth day they reached the most south point of the Southern Lands. They stopped by the feet of the mountain they all hoped was their destination.

'Mount Hakurei.' Kagome whispered after they stopped. She was looking at it and she noticed it was quite high. 'It will take me probably a day to reach the top by foot.'

'Hn … use your demonic speed and you will be there before noon.' Kouga said.

'I cannot use my demonic powers. I must not offend the Lady of the Lake. And surely I do not want her to believe I wish to harm her in any way. I will go there as a miko and a Fallen Goddess.'

'Keh … do as you please female.' Kouga dismissed her.

'You will not use such words when speaking to my intended, Kouga. Taiyoukai or not, I will kill you and claim your lands.' Sesshoumaru spoke.

'I think we should make camp. I am going to leave as soon as I finish dinner. I do not want to prolong the journey more than it is necessary.'

'Are you sure you should travel by night?'

'Hai. I will be there by sunrise and she will know about my presence as soon as I set foot on her mountain.'

'Very well. Now let's eat.'

They ate in silence. As soon as they finished Kagome stood and untied Tessaiga from her waist. She gave it to Sesshoumaru and said:

'I do not wish to infuriate her by going there armed. I will take my bow though, for it is the normal weapon of a miko.' After placing Tessaiga on the ground, Sesshoumaru stood also and encircled his arms around her waist.

'Be careful, my little one.' And he captured her lips in a sweet kiss. Kagome responded to the kiss, wishing to deepen it but knowing they did not have time and plus Kouga was there also.

She stepped back from his arms and stood still. Then the three pink, white and red lights engulfed her one more time. Her body curled into a tight ball and hovered above the ground. The three lights fought for some minutes until the white one seemed to win and exploded all around them. With the white light came the body changes: her silver locks turned black once more, her claws and fangs disappeared and also the black stripes from her cheeks. Surprisingly the crescent moon on her forehead remained. The light faded and she stood once more.

'I am going to her as Nadeshiko, the Goddess of Fate.' she answered their unasked question. She took Jounetsu and strapped it to her back and put her quilt with arrows on one of her shoulders. She tapped into the Goddess's power and levitated in front of them. She turned around in the air and started her way up the mountain.

Several hours later she stopped in mid air for she had seen a small little girl curled in the snow and a youkai towering over her. He was just about to use her as his late dinner. Kagome instantly erected a barrier around the girl, which made the demon look at her. Upon seeing her he abruptly changed his mind and started towards Kagome, a predator seeking its prey. Kagome took Jounetsu from her back, notched an arrow to its string and warned:

'Come closer and die. Leave and live. What choose you?'

'Do you think I am afraid of a human girl with a bow? What can you do? Even if you are a miko I am too powerful to be purified by you. You are not powerful enough.'

At his comment, Kagome let her miko aura flare around her to show the insolent youkai she was a force to reckon. She did not wish to kill him if he chose to flee.

'I do not wish to kill you demon. I am not as any miko you may or may not encountered. I do not hate your race but if you make one more step towards the girl or me, I will kill you.'

Hearing her and sensing her miko powers he drew back and fled down the mountain. She relaxed and put her arrow and bow back to where they belonged and went to the girl.

'Are you alright?'

'H-H-H-Hai. Arigatou.' With that she scampered up the mountain and in an instant she was gone.

Kagome continued her way up the mountain, this time choosing to go by foot. Her light steps though did not even make a mark on the snow covered path.

The moon was hanging high in the sky when she reached another scene. A male demon was surrounded by ten or fifteen humans, all of them carrying all sorts of weapons. Kagome sped up and stopped in front of the male demon.

'Why are you trying to kill this youkai? What has he done?'

'He has endangered my daughter. He is filth and we will make sure he dies.'

'How has he endangered your daughter?'

'He wanted to take advantage of her innocence.' Hearing his words, Kagome turned to the youkai.

'What is your name?' she asked softly.

'Nian' the frightened youkai answered.

'Nian, do you want to tell me what are these men talking about?'

'I have found a girl on the path. She was lying in the cold snow and she seemed to be in pain. I kneeled next to her and took a good look at her. She was badly wounded. Probably from a rock that fell from the mountain and hit her. So I stretched my hands and started to heal her. You see I am a healer. One of the villagers found us in that position and must've assumed I wanted to take advantage of her. That is why I did not fight them until now, for I did nothing wrong but to heal his daughter.'

'Where is you daughter?'

'I am here.' a small child whispered.

'Please tell me what happened.'

'I was going back to my village when a rock fell and hit me. He found me in the snow and made something with his hands and then some light came out of them and then my whole body was worm and then all the pain was gone.'

'It appears to me that Nian did nothing but to heal your daughter. He is innocent. You should not judge anyone by appearance. Not all the youkai try to kill or take advantage of ningen. There are kind youkai also. For example the Taiyoukai, the ones that rule the Lands. I am a miko and I do not hate them. I only kill the ones that kill others or wrong people. I have been traveling for four years across all of the lands with a hanyou and now I am to be mated with a youkai.' Kagome told them.

The villagers left the youkai alone and they scattered. Kagome turned towards Nian and asked him:

'What kind of youkai are you? You look like a silver kitsune.'

'You are correct, milady. I am a silver fox demon.' Upon closer inspection, she could tell he was quite young. He had silver hair, that reached his waist and was tightly braided. His eyes were a silver shade. He had one jagged silver stripe on each cheek. His body was lithe and he was her height. He had a long silver tail that he kept wrapped around his waist.

'I have a pup that is a silver fox also.'

'Milady? You said you are just about to be mated. How is it that you have a pup? And I did not know there still are silver kitsune, for I know all of the remaining ones. Who are you?' Nian took a good look at her and observed her mark. And he recognized it.

'You are the Goddess of Fate, Goddess Nadeshiko.' He gasped not knowing how to act in her presence. He immediately dropped to his knees and bowed, his forehead touching the ground.

'Oh, please Nian stand. It is a long story about my kit, but I will tell you this. My name is in fact Kagome. I am the reincarnation let's say of the Goddess and a miko. Tell me, what is it that you are doing here?'

'My entire clan used to have quarters on the other mountain, but a few years ago they were all killed by a traitorous hanyou who wanted my healing powers. I do not know how he was about to take them, but my clan protected me and sent me on this mountain to live. I was the prince of the silver kitsune youkai. Naraku killed them all but did not dare to approach this mountain because of the legend of the Lady of the Lake.'

'I am so sorry to hear this. As for how he would have taken your healing powers, well he wanted to absorb your body into his. But now he is dead. I killed him with the help of my friends. So I tell you this, if you have nowhere to go, climb down the mountain and at its feet you will find Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands and Lord Kouga of the Southern Lands. If you wish, you can accompany us back into the Western Lands and meet my kit. If you wish to remain there I am sure we can work something for you.'

'You are so kind milady. Thank you. It will be an honor.'

'Than tell them both what happened with your clan and what did the ningen try to do and wait for my return with them.'

'Hai, milady.'

That being said they parted and each of them kept going to their destination: Kagome to the top of the mountain to meet Izanagi and Nian to the bottom to meet Sesshoumaru and Kouga.

As the sun's first rays made their way to the sleeping earth, Kagome approached the top of the mountain. When the sun was about to rise from the horizon, she was already at the lake. She knew she was not alone and that the Lady was here also, for she could sense her aura clearly. Kagome bowed in the direction she felt Izanagi's aura and spoke:

'Lady of the Lake. I have come to you with peace.'

'I know. You can stand. Who are you? I have sensed your tremendous powers and I did not know if I should trust you or not. I could not even decide what you were: a demoness, a miko or something else? That is why I have submitted you to two tests. To see your character.'

'I am Kagome. But maybe you know me better by the name of Nadeshiko.'

'True you have her marking, but you are slight different. So Kagome is the ningen your soul has reincarnated into.'

'Hai, Lady Izanagi, great Elder of the South. So the little girl and the demon, Nian were just tests?'

'Hai, no one lives on my mountain.'

'I found their presences strange. What about Nian? He seemed to know of our most hated enemy. Was he just another illusion like the others?'

'No, Nian was no illusion. I have granted him entrance on my mountain when I have heard of his clan's fate. I wanted to save him and the silver fox youkai from perish for I saw his pure soul and gentle heart.'

'Hai. I have saw that in him also. I have told him to climb down the mountain and wait for me with my intended, Lord Sesshoumaru and with Lord Kouga. Lady Izanagi, I have come here with a plea.'

'What is your true form, child?'

'My true form? It is an Inu youkai. But I have opted to come to you in the form of the Goddess I once was for I didn't know how you feel about youkai.'

'I wish to see your true form, Kagome.'

'My humanoid form or my demonic one?'

'Oh? You can change into the demonic form also?'

'Hai.'

'The humanoid form shall be enough.'

'As you wish.' Kagome was engulfed by the three lights again and she allowed herself to regain her true form, the demoness she actually was. Keeping the Goddess's form was draining her energy as keeping her youkai form. As soon as her transformation was over, Izanagi said:

'Why have you sought me out and came to me?'

'Great Elder of the South, we have some problems at the border between the Western Lands and the Northern Lands. There is a drought and as much as the villagers do, they cannot keep the water. They digged deeper but the water vanished in mere hours. They built water retainers but the earth sucked all of it. The crops do not grow anymore, the game has fled from those parts. Two villages in the North and one in the West were abandoned since last winter. I have come here to ask your help, Lady Izanagi.'

'When did this started to happen?'

'It started many moons ago. I think three winters have passed since it first started to occur.'

'And what do you wish me to do?'

'We were thinking if you could come with us and bring back the water, Lady Izanagi.'

'Very well, I shall come. But only if you can guarantee my mountain will remain untouched by anybody.'

'Hai. I will put a miko barrier around it and no one, not youkai, not ningen would be able to enter. You will be the only one let inside. And it will remain for as long as you wish to let it up. The only people that will be able to enter will be the ones you will invite or allow.'

'Yes, that would do it. Now let's descend. For I am sure the two Taiyoukai are eager to know how everything went. I am sure you can keep up, can't you?'

'Hai, I am a youkai after all.'

'Good.' That being said they rushed down the mountain path, both with the speed of a youkai.

They reached the mountain's base quite fast and upon meeting the three males, Kagome said:

'Lady Izanagi, these are Lord Sesshoumaru, Lord Kouga and Prince Nian.' The two Taiyoukai bowed their heads in acknowledge and Nian bowed from his waist.

'I thank you Lady Izanagi for allowing me to take refugee on your mountain.'

Kagome turned and started chanting. For putting up a barrier around the mountain she needed as much power as she could muster, especially since this one was a special one.

'Lady Izanagi, I will infuse some of your aura into the barrier so it will recognize you.' Then she proceeded to work. It took her the best part of an hour to complete her work, but she was satisfied with the result.

When she finished they decided they should leave. They were to meet Amarante and Kagetora in the place they needed the help of Izanagi for. Amarante was to bring Izanami. Kagome and Izanagi traveled on Sesshoumaru's cloud and Kouga and Nian were running towards their destination.

Several days later they were all standing in the deserted lands. They met Amarante and Kagetora and they were with Izanami.

'Lady Izanagi, this is the place I have told you of.'

'Thank you child. I will take care of it.' She kneeled on the ground and placed her palms down. She closed her eyes and searched for water in the depths of the earth. When she found it, she willed it to resurface and she created a strong stream. But not long after that, the water dispersed. Intrigued, she concentrated again and found a curse placed upon the main stream of underground water. She stretched her hand towards Kagome and beckoned her to come and sit next to her.

The demoness sat and Izanagi took one of her hands and placed it on the ground under hers.

'Concentrate, Kagome, upon the curse. You will find it easy if you concentrate. Break it and I will be able to bring the water again in these parts.' Kagome concentrated and true enough she found it. She formed one of her energy balls and sent it towards the curse, guiding it with her mind. When it reached its destination, the curse was broke and Izanagi focused once more on the water, bringing forth a strong stream. Then she worked to bring water as close to the surface as it was necessary for the wells to have water and for the crops and plants to grow.

'There, my job here is done. Thank you Kagome for your help with my mountain. Now I take my leave.' That being said Izanagi left for her home.

Kagome then kneeled and put her palms on the ground again. This time she called forth her healing powers, sending them into the ground restoring every tree and every plant there should have been. When spring will come, the entire area would be full of flowers and the crops will grow again. She stood and let Izanami do her job. She stood still, focused on the cries of animals from far away. She then gave a piercing shriek and moved to Amarante. She told her something and then left also. Amarante came to Kagome, who was now in Sesshoumaru's arms because the tremendous amount of energy spent made her nearly lose her conscience.

'Lady Kagome, you have passed my test, therefore I deem you worthy of being Lord Sesshoumaru's mate.' Amarante declared.

At that point, their marks flared to life and turned blood red. This time they remained that way.

'_So it is over with the tests. Now we are allowed to mate.'_ Kagome thought. Immediately she fell asleep in Sesshoumaru's arms, smiling softly.

* * *

**_AN. : Well what more can I say? Megami means Goddess. I hope I did not do any mistake with the Kazee no Kizu - which as I know means Wind Scar - and the Kazaana - the Wind Tunnel._**

**_Thank you for reading and reviewing. Don't forget, tell me if you want me to continue this story or end it with the next chapter._**

**_Ja ne._**


	16. Mating Ceremony

**_A.N.: Hello minna. Gomen for the long long long wait. I had some huge problems in my family and school and then I got sick ... I had an eye illness and my eyes were so read I could have been easily mistaken with a demoness in a blood rage ;)_**

**_Here we are ... the last and final chapter of this story. I wish to thank you all for your wonderful support and beautiful words ... I am truly happy and thankful for them. I hope you will enjoy this last chapter and send your wonderful reviews one last time for this story._**

**_I know there are some of you that would like me to continue it, but I think it best to end it here._**

**_Warning: There is a lemon in this chapter ... so if you are underaged or do not wish to read it, just skip it. I will mark its beginning and end._**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and Co. and never will. _**

* * *

With Kagome still tucked into his strong arms, Sesshoumaru turned towards Amarante and Kouga and announced: 

'The mating ceremony will start the day before the next full moon. It will last for three morrows and three nights.'

At his statement, Amarante's eyes widened.

'So you are going to keep the tradition your father started when he mated Saisho-sama.'

'Hai. And all within my blood line will keep this tradition as long as the House of the Moon will survive.' Sesshoumaru said stoically.

'So you have a moon's cycle due time to prepare for the ceremony and explain Kagome everything she needs to know.'

'Hai. Nian, come, we are leaving. Amarante, I will send a message to Hinode and Chiyo and tell them also.'

'No need. I will go to him because I have to talk something with them about the East and the South.' Kouga announced.

'Arigatou, Kouga.'

'Keh, I'm not doing anything for you. I merely suggested letting them know about the upcoming ceremony seeing that I am going there anyway.'

'Very well.' Sesshoumaru said. 'Nevertheless, proper invitations will be sent for the three cardinal Lords and Lady.' he added. 'Now we must leave. Kagome is exhausted from the use of her powers and I have my Lands to take care of. We will meet again before the mating ceremony starts.' With that, Nian standing to his left side, Sesshoumaru formed his youki cloud and took off to the Western castle.

A few hours into the night and they landed in the courtyard. Liu was the first to greet them.

'Liu, show our guest here to a room. We must speak in the morning.'

'Hai, my Lord.'

'Nian, Liu will give you one of the guest rooms in the Eastern wing of the castle. She will also provide you a sleeping kimono and training outfits for you to wear during the day until we have our seamstress sew you proper garments.'

'Hai my Lord. Arigatou.'

'Hn. Go with her. We will be speaking tomorrow.'

'Good night, Lord Sesshoumaru.'

Sesshoumaru didn't say anything; he just turned around and leapt high in the air, landing in his chamber's balcony. After staying in the Eastern palace he decided they would share a room in his castle also.

When in the chamber, Sesshoumaru tucked Kagome in the bed and took a few moments to watch her peaceful sleeping form. When he was content with her state, he turned around once again and exited the room, walking to his study. After all, he had been missing for quite some time and it was time for him to take care of his Lands.

The first thing to do when sitting at his low table was to write the official invitations for his mating ceremony. He almost groaned when he thought at the immense amount of preparations he had to do, not counting Kagome had to be informed about every event that would occur. Hopefully though, she would be a great help, allowing her to prepare the rooms for the Lords and Ladies and the ceremony. Liu would be there to help her. _'After all, she must start helping me with the household and the problems with my Lands. She will be the Lady of the West, so she will have many things to do after we are mated.'_

Sunrise caught him at his desk, still reading, writing or just signing papers. Not long after dawn, Kagome awoke from her deep sleep. She was a little confused at first, not recognizing her whereabouts. The room she was in was furnished with silver furnishings; the huge, four-post bed had black, silky curtains. The floor was pure black marble with an intricate design of a dog demon in its true form in different positions. Some were images of a battle, some were ones of relaxation and some even showed two of them in the middle of a field. The walls were painted in black also and the same design of the demon dog was painted on them. The ceiling was painted with a single image: Sesshoumaru in his true demon form, looking at the crescent moon hanging on the sky.

'_I must be in Sesshoumaru's chambers. I gather he has decided to share it since the Lords' Gathering. I would have to move my things eventually in his room after the mating ceremony, so I guess it is no problem.'_ Kagome thought.

She climbed down the bed and made her way to the door to get to her room for some clothes. She was stopped however by Liu, who chose that moment to knock at the door and enter with a training outfit.

'Lord Sesshoumaru has informed me to bring these for you here. Also I am to bring all your kimonos and training outfits and put them in his closet. He asked me to tell you he awaits you in his study to talk about the mating ceremony.'

'Thanks, Liu. I will go see him.' That being said, Kagome took the garments, went back to the bed and started changing. When she was fully and properly dressed, she exited the room and went to Sesshoumaru. She knocked at the door and waited for his permission to enter. When he gave it, she opened it and slipped inside.'

'Ohayo, Sesshoumaru.'

'Ohayo, little one. Did you have a good sleep?'

'Hai. Did you sleep at all?'

'Iie, I had to attend to my Lands.'

'I see. So what is it you wanted to tell me?'

'I have decided to put you in charge of the preparations for the mating ceremony. You are to prepare the rooms for the other Taiyoukai, talk with the servants and tell them what you wish them to do and all that is related with this gathering. Also you must have in mind the traditions that are to be followed during the ceremony.'

'But I do not know anything of this stuff. I have never been asked to prepare a mating ceremony.'

'That is why I and Liu are here my precious one. We will guide you throughout this.'

'Ok. Tell me more about the ceremony.'

'It will start the day before the full moon. It will end at the forth dawn from then. Each day and night signifies something and you must be sure you have done the preparations correctly.'

'What does each day signify?'

'The first day is …'

* * *

After breakfast, Sesshoumaru asked Kagome to speak with Nian and decide what he was to do; after all, he was her guest. 

'Nian.' Kagome called him as soon as Liu told her where his chamber was.

'Hai milady.' He said opening the door and allowing her to enter.

'Come with me please. Did you have breakfast?'

'Hai Lady Kagome.'

'Ok, then. I want you to meet the kits. There are two of them. There is Rin, the silver fox demon and Shippou, a red kitsune youkai. Rin was saved by Sesshoumaru a few years ago from a pack of wolves and since then, she has been staying with the Lord. Shippou is another story, though it is as tragic as Rin's, for they both lost their parents. While Rin's died in the village, Shippou's were killed in front of him by the Thunder brothers and he was about to be killed also if it weren't for Inuyasha and myself. We saved him and killed the two youkai and since then he has been staying with us. Inuyasha is Sesshoumaru's half brother, or better say, was, for he has died in the fight against Naraku, the hanyou that killed all of your tribe's people. At the time of the battle I was just a human miko and after seeing Inuyasha pinned by Naraku's tentacle I just brought forth all my power in an attempt to save him. While I killed Naraku and reunited the Shikon no Tama, Inuyasha died.' Kagome finished her story with a whisper. It still saddened her that the Gods did play with the Inu hanyou's life, but she was peaceful that he had found his peace and happiness.

'You can say that Rin is Sesshoumaru's pup and Shippou is mine. But Rin was a ningen girl until not so long ago. You see, being the protector of the Shikon no Tama, I was able to communicate with the pure soul that created it, Midoriko. And she told me that the Shikon would be tainted if I did not purify it forever. So I asked a selfless wish from it: to transform Rin into a demon. And she took the form of a silver kitsune. Ahh, here we are.'

'Kagome-nee-chan!!' Rin's happy voice boomed in the courtyard. She and Shippou were practicing hand to hand battle with one of Sesshoumaru's most trusted generals and upon seeing her they rushed to her side. Only that, seeing she was accompanied by someone, they stopped dead, Shippou in mid air towards her shoulder, having to regain his footing and Rin in mid strike towards her foot.

'Rin, Shippou, this is Nian. I have met him in my and Sesshoumaru's journeys. He is here to meet you guys. And he is also a kitsune, a silver one, just as you Rin.'

'Really? Wow … but you don't have a tail.' Rin pouted.

'I do have a tail, young one. But being older and more experienced and trained than you are, I can hide it.' Nian said with a chuckle.

'Could you show us your tail? Please?' Rin asked, puppy eyes pleading him.

Nian gave another chuckle and agreed. Then he let some of his power come forth and a silver blue light engulfed him. After a few seconds, Nian was sporting a bushy silver blue tail with silver streaks in it.

'Wow, your tail is colored in the opposite colors from mine.' Rin commented.

'You are right, young one.' Nian chuckled again.

'Hei, what cool tricks do you know?' Shippou asked. 'I can use my fox fire and some illusions. Can you?'

'I can't use fox fire, for I am not a fire kitsune. They are quite rare and to see one again is an honor. I can use fox ice instead of fire. Do you want to see?'

'Yes please.' Both kits pleaded. Kagome was by now laughing her heart out at the expressions and enthusiasm her kits were showing towards Nian.

'Well Nian, looks like you have won my pups over already. If you show them some of your tricks you will have your hands full with these two to teach them how to do that also.' Kagome said in between laughs.

'Will I be allowed to?'

'Allowed to do what, Nian? Show them your tricks? Of course; it would be an honor to see them.'

'Not to show them the tricks, but to teach them, to train them. Would you and Sesshoumaru-sama do me the honor and allow me to train and teach the two kits in the ways of a true kitsune demon?'

'It would be my honor to have the prince of the silver fox demons to train my pups, Nian. I thank you for it.'

'Alright. And don't worry, I will not overdo it. I know they are mere kits so I will try to teach them as much as I can through games.'

'Will you also train them in hand to hand battle and in using a katana? Or should the sensei Sesshoumaru chose for them still be required?'

'No, I can do it myself. I am sure that a general has some other things to do but to train the kits.'

'Okay. So now, will you show us the trick with the fox ice?' Kagome beamed? She was just as curious as the kits were.

'Milady, I swear that dog demons are the most curious specie of them all, even the cats do not surpass the dog demons in curiosity.' Nian laughed this time. _'What a strange family they are. But the kits are so enthusiast they are barely containing themselves.'_ 'I will show you the fox ice if Shippou here will do me the honor to show me the fox fire. What do you say, Shippou? Would you do that?'

'Hai.' Shippou said, blushing ten shades of red. No one ever said that it would be an honor to see his tricks. He never knew he was a rare specimen of fox demons, he always thought he was plain and common.

Nian nodded and stretched his right hand allowing some of his powers to come forth. He formed a ball of ice blue powers and then he sent it a few meters away from them, modeling Shippou's form from it. When he called back his power, an ice sculpture with Shippou's form and traits remained on the grass.

'Wow, can you do one of Rin's?' Nian nodded and proceeded 'sculpting' Rin's ice statue also. She went strait to it and started giggling at how the sculpture looked and how cold it felt at touch.

'But how can this help in battle?' Shippou asked after a few minutes.

'I can encase my opponent in ice, but I cannot demonstrate you for when I do it, the enemy dies instantly.' Nian explained. The kits eyes widened in surprise and respect for the elder kitsune. 'Now Shippou you promised you would show me some of your fox fire.'

'Hai, Nian-san.' Shippou said. He went to the ice sculpture that was his twin and stood a few meters away from it. He stood straight and stretched his hands, saying 'Fox fire!' At his shout a ball of fire zipped towards the ice and engulfed it into fire. The flames licked the cold ice surface, melting it and transforming it into steam. A few seconds later all that remained from the ice sculpture was the steam around the spot.

'Wow, Shippou, you are great with your basic powers. Did you do it by yourself?'

'Thank you Nian-san. I did not managed by myself. I had okaa-san to tell me what to do and help me with the development of my powers.'

'Oh plese kits, use just my name, there is no need to formalities. Now Rin, which are you basic powers?'

'I do not know.' Rin answered shyly.

'Well Rin-chan, you are a silver kitsune, ne? Your basic powers should be the fox ice also. You said you had a sensei, didn't he show you your powers?'

'Our sensei was a demon dog. He started training us in hand to hand battle and swordsmanship. Also he trains me in the ways of being a demon, for I must get used to all this force and speed I have.'

'I see. Now Rin-chan, close your eyes and concentrate on your inner self. Try to find your powers and to unlock them from their cage. When you managed that you will instantly know what is you basic power. When I say basic power, I mean the power that defines your kitsune kind. Shippou's basic is fire, but as he said he can create illusions also. My basic power is ice, but I am also a healer. Now just sit down and concentrate. Meditate. It might take you a while until you find it and unlock it, but we will be here.' Nian said.

'Nian, did you say that Shippou is a rare kitsune?' Kagome asked in a whisper after Rin settled for meditation.

'Hai, fire kitsune are a rare breed. There are not too many left of them.' Kagome chose not to answer to this and settled into meditation herself. Nian, seeing both females have calmed down and were concentrating on their inner selves, decided to stand guard. But as soon as Shippou calmed down next to him, also cross-legged on the ground, eyes closed and a serene expression on his face, a powerful barrier encompassed the four youkai, giving Nian the chance of meditating himself.

A few hours later, the silence and calmness in the air was broken by a sudden rising of powers and the brusque fall in the temperature around them. Kagome was the first to open her eyes, followed by Nian and Shippou. Rin was engulfed into a silver light, her hair flaring around her in the powers radiating off her.

'Rin, open your eyes.' Nian gently guided Rin. When she had opened them, the elder fox demon continued. 'Stretch your arm and allow some of your powers to form a ball of energy in your palm.' The girl did what she was told to and let her powers flare in her hand, only that she had almost froze Nian in a huge ice block. If he would not have been quick and agile to produce a barrier around him, Shippou and Kagome, Rin's powers could have produced irreversible damages.

'Ok Rin, we know now that you are an ice kitsune. Now rein your powers, call them back into your body.' Nian said calmly. 'You will be able to rein them after some training. I will help you with that, but I think it is enough for today. What do you guys say we play a little with some tricks after Rin withdraws her aura?'

During this time, Sesshoumaru has been watching them from his study's balcony. He knew his daughter did not have any powers, or at least that was what his general said, but to see Nian helping her with unlocking them in only half a day awestruck him. As he sensed the flare in Rin's aura he leapt from the balcony and went to them. Just as she was once again settling down for meditation to bring back the powers inside her body, he approached Nian and Kagome.

'I must admit I am grateful to you, Nian.' Sesshoumaru said.

'Milord, it is an honor.'

'How did you do it? My general, Tsuki, said she had no power, only the strength that comes with being a demon.'

'Every demon has its own powers. Rin is no exception. I just asked her to meditate and look deep inside herself and unlock it. When Lady Kagome has whished upon the jewel, it probably locked her powers until she was ready and used to being a demon for her to control them. Being a kitsune helps more in their training than being a dog demon. Each has a valuable basic power. Rin is an ice fox and Shippou is a fire one. Rin will manipulate ice and Shippou fire.'

'Sesshoumaru, Nian has offered to train them in both swordsmanship and hand to hand battle and with their powers. Would you allow him?'

'Of course, little one.' Sesshoumaru said, coming next to her and encircling her waist with one of his arms. 'It would please me to know my pups are in good hands and have a good sensei. Also Nian I wanted to ask you if you would like to settle in the House of the Moon and be appointed the castle's healer.'

'It would be an honor, milord. Thank you Lord Sesshoumaru and Lady Kagome.'

'Now, Shippou, Rin, I have finished with the intense training so when your sensei allows you two a break and I do not have anything to do for the mating ceremony, come and get me so we could spend some time together. I really missed you guys.'

'Kagome-nee-chan, we missed you too.' Rin cheered from the ground. She just finished her meditation and as soon as she was sure her powers were inside her again, she jumped from her place on the grass and ran to Kagome. Upon impact, the two girls fell to the ground and Rin started tickling the unsuspecting demoness. They both started laughing and a minute later Shippou was with them, helping Rin to tickle Kagome. Just as they thought they had her and she would not be able to run, Kagome turned on her belly and leapt from the two kids, landing behind them. She reached and tackled the two kitsune and started tickling them until they could not breathe anymore.

By the time they finished their little game, Liu came to announce them dinner was served. Kagome straightened her clothes and looked up at the two males. Nian was laughing, tears falling freely on his cheeks. Sesshoumaru had a small smirk on his lips, but his eyes held amusement and _'what is that? Mischief?'_

As soon as Kagome was standing tall again, looking intensely in his golden eyes, Sesshoumaru decided to comment:

'You will be a good mother for our pups' he said, his smirk growing a tiny bit. At his statement, Kagome turned bright red and avoided his gaze. She started walking towards the doors but was halted by Sesshoumaru's whisper in her ear when she passed him.

'I must admit I am very anxious to have my own pups, my precious Kagome. Are you not?' Kagome blushed profusely, her face turning beet red. She quickened her pace until she was inside the palace. When behind the closed doors of their common room, Kagome leaned into the door and let herself glide down until she reached the floor. She let her head drop, her chin touching lightly the base of her neck.

'_Was he teasing me? Is that what I saw in his eyes? mischief and teasing? Grrr … that arrogant demon … since when does he tease me? Probably since the night he admitted he loved me. Hmmm … he did say that and I am his mate-to-be, so I guess I just have to get used to it. Thank Kami no one heard him … imagine if the kits would have heard him … as curious as they are they would surely ask more and I am sure Sesshoumaru wouldn't answer their questions.'_ Kagome was lost in her thoughts that she did not hear the gentle knock at the door. But when the knocking became more insistent, Kagome snapped back to reality and stood to open the door.

'S-S-Sesshoumaru … w-what are you doing here?' she asked by instinct.

'Where you as anxious as me to have your own pups?' he asked, a more playful tone in his voice now that he was in his, correction,_ their_, room.

'Huh?' was her retort.

'Well since I see you have came into our room that fast, missing even dinner, I assumed you were just as anxious as I admitted being, and maybe wanted to give it a try?' Sesshoumaru smirked, he knew Kagome would be madly blushing by now and he was enjoying seeing her like that.

'I have brought you dinner. I must talk to you before the Lords and Ladies come.'

'Alright. Thanks for dinner.' She reached for the tray of food he was holding, avoiding his eyes, her blush darkening with each of his words.

'I wanted to tell you which are the rooms you must prepare for them and how the result should be. You know, each of them likes different things and it would be quite a challenge to prepare them the perfect rooms. That is why, we must talk.'

The night passed quickly, the both of them talked about the kind of preparations that Kagome had to do for the ceremony. She knew that the three Taiyoukai must have been picky about their rooms, but this did exceed her expectations and beliefs.

* * *

The first day of her mating ceremony was upon them. It was dawn and as Sesshoumaru has explained it, this first day and night signified the past. So she had taken residence in her old room. She was to show herself as the human miko Kagome today. 

The first day and night, the ceremony stated that the both of them acted as they had acted in their past, when they were merely acquaintances. So Kagome got up from her bed, went to her closed and got a change of clothes. It was a set of her old school uniform. The seamstress has tailored her one after she has drawn it on a parchment. She went to the hot spring and bathed and then dressed herself. When she was fully clothed, she was engulfed in a pink light. Immediately, her markings disappeared, her fangs and claws retreated and her ears became round once again. Her hair changed from silver to black again and every demonic bit from her appearance was replaced with her human traits.

She was the miko Kagome again, although her youki was still inside her, as were the powers of the Goddess. She took Jounetsu and left Tessaiga in her room under a barrier and left for the breakfast. This morning she will eat human food again.

The Ladies and Lords of the court were waiting her in the dinning hall. Sesshoumaru has explained to her that they were to follow her these three days to come to know her better and to make sure she was a proper mate for him. After a quick breakfast, and an unsatisfactory one for her also, they all exited the room and went to the gardens. She was supposed to play with the two kits in the morning and help them with their tricks and powers.

The day was in the late morning when Sesshoumaru came to the gardens.

'Sesshoumaru, what are you doing here?'

'This Sesshoumaru does not explain to a mere ningen wench what he does or does not.'

'What did you call me? I told you I have a name. And I will ask you to use it.' she said, her rage building up in her. He was not going to get away with calling her ningen wench.

'You are below this Sesshoumaru, miko. Show the respect to your Lord, human.'

'You are not my _Lord_, youkai.' Kagome accentuated the word so that he would understand the defiance in her tone. At her answer, Sesshoumaru's eyes bled red and in an instant she was dangling by his right hand, sharp claws pointing at her neck.

'You will show me respect, wench.'

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise at his stoic face and red tinted eyes. She put her hands around his wrist and let a jolt of her purifying energy touch his skin. At the burning sensation he let her go and Kagome took the opportunity and put some distance between them.

'I will show respect when you will show respect, youkai. My name is Kagome. Do you wish me to spell it for you?'

'I do not care what your name is, wench. You will pay for disrespecting this Sesshoumaru.' He brought the claws of his right hand in front of his face and flexed them showing the dripping green poison. Kagome also took Jounetsu from her shoulder and notched an arrow to its string. Pointing the arrow in Sesshoumaru's general direction but being careful not to take him as her target, but the tree that was slightly to his left, she released it, after charging it with some good amount of her powers.

'Leave me and the pups alone, youkai.'

'Hn. You will die for the disrespect.' Sesshoumaru added before he turned on his heels and left to his castle. The Lords and Ladies were all flabbergasted.

'What was that all about, Kagome?' asked Amarante.

'That was the way we acted when we met. While Inuyasha was alive, he kept calling me 'Inuyasha's wench' amongst some other names. He tried to kill me from the first time we met.'

'Why?' Chiyo asked this time.

'We were in his father's tomb. And he just tried to pull Tessaiga out of the stone that was holding it there but the sword rejected him and burned his palm. Then Inuyasha tried to take it also. The sword allowed him to touch it but he could not pull it out. Then they started fighting, because Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha apparently hated each other. At some point I tripped on something and to prevent my falling I grabbed the first thing that I could reach. Sadly for me, it was the hilt of Tessaiga. With my mere touch it came out of the stone. At that moment, the two stopped fighting and looked at me as if I grew a second head. Sesshoumaru, who was closer to me than Inuyasha sent his poisonous whip towards me and I lifted the sword above my head in a futile attempt to protect myself. Needles to say that Sesshoumaru's whip melted the rock that was above my head and it fell over me. But I guess Tessaiga actually saved me. I gave Inuyasha Tessaiga then and since that moment I guessed he hated me. But since Inuyasha's death, Sesshoumaru and I have changed.'

They spent the rest of the morning talking about different encounters Sesshoumaru and Kagome had during the journey to complete the jewel. After lunch was served, they went to the gardens again.

The afternoon was spent basking in the sun and playing with Rin and Shippou. Of course they knew about the traditions of the mating ceremony so they were not surprised when Sesshoumaru and Kagome fought.

When evening came, Kagome went back to her room and straight to the hot spring. She calmed her stressed muscles and nerves and let her real appearance take over. Her fangs and claws grew back, her markings came forth again and her hair grew silver once more. After the soak in the hot spring, Kagome went straight to bed.

The second day of the mating ritual signified the present. When she woke up, it was before dawn. She went to her closet and drew a training outfit and quickly put it on. Then she went as usual to the dining hall. Sesshoumaru was already there so she sat down at his right side and waited for the others to join them. They had little conversation and after breakfast was over, Kagome and the other demons went to the garden to spend some time with the pups.

After a few hours, Kagome stood from her place on the grass and made her way to the castle. The Lords and Ladies came with her. She stopped in front of Sesshoumaru's study door and knocked once. When he gave her permission, Kagome entered the room and went to Sesshoumaru.

'I have come to spend some time with you. Maybe help you with your Lands or if not, just sit here and read.'

At her words, the other seven youkai gasped, but Sesshoumaru, although he did not know exactly how the three days will pass by like, expected something from his miko demoness.

'Hai, little one. I would like you to read these scrolls and respond them. They are requests for different kind of help from us. And Kagome, they are _our_ Lands, not mine.' This last statement brought another gasp to the shocked demons and demonesses. The pair worked silently. Only from time to time they stopped to talk about some tasks and decisions they had to take as the ruling Couple.

As the parchments grew thinner and thinner, Kagome stood and asked:

'What do you say about a sparring match? To stretch our muscles from sitting so long in one attitude?'

'Hai. That is a wonderful idea. Should we use our swords or plain wooden katanas?'

'Wooden katanas. We do not need to establish a winner for this spar match.'

They exited the room and went to the dojo. They picked up two practice swords from the rack on the walls and stood in the middle of the dojo's floor. Kagome was the first to move. She attacked with a low strike of her katana. Sesshoumaru easily parried it and moved to one of his sides immediately followed by Kagome. Each of his steps and strikes were matched by the girl's ones.

It was as if they were dancing. They were growing the intensity of the sparring match, for if in the beginning they were leisurely matching blow with blow, they were now using their demonic speed and strength. They were a sight to be seen. Their auras danced around them, mingling and entwining becoming one, their bodies were moving in a sensual rhythm, as if their inner selves were guiding them on the notes of a song they shared.

So lost were they in their sparring match that they had forgot about the mating ceremony and the demons looking at them. As the sun was setting, Sesshoumaru and Kagome decided to end the training and moved with such agility and speed that the others did not see them. When they saw the couple, the Lord and the Lady were facing each other, knees slightly bent. Both their right legs were in front of their left ones. Silky black material was grazing silky white one as Kagome's right foot was almost pressed to Sesshoumaru's. Hands holding katanas, eyes locked to each other, intense amber clashing with bottomless black, katanas' points grazing each other's necks, they were taking quick breaths.

Then they both straightened and nodded to each other. They went to the racks and put the katanas back to their places and went to dinner. They had a quick dinner of raw meat and then they both went to each of their rooms. This time, Kagome was followed by Amarante and Chiyo and Sesshoumaru by Hinode, Kagetora and Kouga.

The tradition asked that the soon to be Lady of the Western Lands was to be bathed by the other Ladies and the Lord of the West by the Lords.

'Kagome' Amarante broke the silence in the hot spring 'I am so glad you are the female Sesshoumaru has chosen. You have no idea what you have done for him.'

'Nani?'

'Yes Kagome. He has smiled to you. He has kissed you in front of all of us. He calls you loving names; he embraces you and honors you. He allows you to touch his person and although you defy him when you are right, he has yet to strike you back and show you your place. You are the first person he has shown his feelings to since his mother has died.'

Kagome was by now blushing. She knew Sesshoumaru loved her but she never thought that anybody else would see past his stoic mask. As if the two demonesses in front of her understood her unspoken question, Amarante spoke:

'I know him since he was a pup. He was so childish then, but after his mother died, he got cold. The stoic mask you saw all these years since you know him is the result of two centuries of locking his feelings. But since he has started courting you, you have managed to crack it in places and some of his feelings slipped past it and on his face. In time I am sure he will become the Sesshoumaru I knew as a pup. Just be there with him always and he will show you his true nature.'

'I-I-I-

'There is nothing to say Kagome. You know, Amarante is right. I was friends with his father and mother. I knew him as a pup also. I must admit he is lucky to have found you and come to cherish you.'

Seeing Kagome fidgeting in the hot spring, the two demonesses asked what was wrong.

'Ano, I wanted to ask you what will happen after you finish bathing me. I am a little nervous.'

'Ohh … you have nothing to worry about. We will apply a balm all over your skin, then dress you and take you to the Lord's chamber. He will be brought in the chamber after the same balm was applied on his body by the other Lords. This is your mating night after all, so you can imagine what you two will be doing.' Amarante said with a smirk on her lips. She saw Kagome blush to the roots of her hair and was sure her entire body was flushed the same shade of red.

'Remember this, though, you must submit to him. You must show him he is your alpha, so he can mark you and complete the mating bond.'

'But he said he will allow me to mark him also.'

'He said that?'

'Hai. He said he will wear my mark proudly.'

The two demonesses in the hot springs gasped in surprise. They knew what meant for Sesshoumaru to allow her mark him. It meant for him to submit to her and that was not something they thought he, of all the demons in all the Lands, would do.

Next they brought the balm and started applying it on her smooth skin. Not an inch of it escaped the wonderful scented balm. It was as if every flower in Sesshoumaru's garden was added to the concoction, which was probably true. After finishing with this, Chiyo brought a beautiful silky youkata. They dressed her and took her to the room Kagome and Sesshoumaru shared, leaving her there alone, to wait for him.

Not long after that, though, he was brought in by the three Lords and after quickly glancing in her direction, the three of them bowed their heads in greeting and left the room with a smirk plastered on their faces. He was dressed in plain white haori and hakamas and a white long sash, wrapped twice around his waist.

As soon as they were alone, Kagome, sitting in the middle of the huge bed, reached to the back of her head and gather her silver hair, draping it on her left shoulder. She presented her bare right side of her neck to him, in a gesture of submission.

Understanding that Amarante and Chyo must have told her a few things about what would happen during the night, and silently thanking them for that, Sesshoumaru went to her.

* * *

**_Beggining of lemon._**

He climbed in bed with her, placed a knee on each side of her thighs straddling her and gently pushed her on her back. He reached to the sash and unwrapped it cutting it in two. He took one piece of the silky material and tied her wrist with it and gently pulled the end of the material towards the bed's post, tying it there. He did the same with the other hand and as soon as he was done, Kagome shyly looked at him. She was tied down by the posts, but her bindings allowed her arms to rest comfortably on the pillows. She pulled gently on one of them but Sesshoumaru growled at her, barking the command:

'Do not cut your bindings with your claws or try to escape them. Submit, bitch.'

Kagome went slack, understanding this was what she needed to do and she once more tilted her head to her left, presenting her neck to him.

Sesshoumaru, straddling her by her waist, lowered to her neck. He took a whiff of her sent and then he placed his soft lips on her flesh. He started trailing kisses on its length from the juncture with her shoulder to the earlobe, then kissing her jaw to her mouth. Once he reached her full, rosy lips, Sesshoumaru crashed his lips on them and started licking, sucking them with all his might. Kagome was so lost in the searing kiss that when she felt his fangs nibbling her lower lip, she gasped, allowing him entrance. He thrust his tongue deep in the cavern of her mouth, tasting her, licking and sucking her tongue. There was no need for a tongue fighting, for Kagome knew better than to challenge his dominance.

Once he was satisfied, he started trailing down her neck once more, this time he chose the left side. Gently gathering her hair from her shoulder and pushing it aside on the pillow, he started kissing her neck, letting a hot trail in its path. Once he reached the juncture of her neck with the shoulder, he was stopped in his ministrations by the hem of her white night gown. Sesshoumaru disposed her of it in a blink of an eye, making use of his sharp claws. Once her body was naked, she shivered at the sensation of the chill air touching her skin.

He stood from her and looked at her, drinking in the delicate outline of her breasts. Moments later, he dived down again, his mouth crushing to her left breast and one of his hands reaching for the other one, kneading and massaging it, pinching the nipple. Using his mouth, he started kissing, licking and sucking on the creamy mound and nipple. His lips massaging, fangs grazing her skin, tongue licking, Kagome was lost in the pleasure he was instilling in her, moaning loudly. Feeling heat pooling in her lower abdomen, and her womanhood aching, Kagome pressed her legs tightly one against the other, trying to sooth her needs.

Her suddenly moving under him drew Sesshoumaru's attention. Understanding what she was doing, he snapped his head up and locked gazes with her. He lifted himself from her and scooted lower not breaking the eye contact. He put his hands on her knees and forcefully parted them, at the same time barking another order to her:

'You will not pleasure yourself, bitch. Stop moving and submit to your Lord.'

He parted her knees to the fullest and positioned himself in-between her thighs, at the same time getting off his haori. Reaching down to the milky mounds and the hardened nipples, Sesshoumaru picked up from where he left, choosing to pass to the other breast and apply the same ministrations as to its twin. Kagome started moaning louder with his every touch, arching her back, bringing her chest upwards towards him. Her claws and fangs elongating for her need to touch him, to feel his flawless skin under her fingertips she almost cut through the bindings. Sesshoumaru bit on her nipple in warning not to do such thing and growled dangerously at her.

She immediately let her body fall on the bed and withdrew her fangs and claws. She whimpered in pleasure, begging him to help her with the increasing ache and heat pooling in her nether regions. Satisfied with his work on her breasts, Sesshoumaru started kissing her every inch of skin towards her navel, once reaching it starting to suck and lick at it. This sent jolts of pleasure in Kagome's body, arching her back once again upwards. His hands still kneading her mounds, he used them to push her roughly down and snarled at her. She was being disobedient, so a punishment was in order to show his bitch who was alpha. He left her belly and dipped his head to her inner thigh, biting her, drawing her blood. Kagome screamed at the sensation, not knowing if it was a painful or a pleasurable feeling that washed over her.

His head now in-between her legs, Sesshoumaru could better feel her arousal. He took a lungful of her scent and almost lost control over his beast, raging inside him to let it go. Sniffing once more, Sesshoumaru closed his mouth over the bud of her womanhood, sending Kagome over the edge. He licked and sucked at it, enjoying the taste of her juices in his mouth and decided to tease her some more. He was pleased with the reaction he was receiving from his bitch. Looking up at her, he saw her eyes had been closed in bliss and he didn't like it. He wanted her to look at him and see him pleasure her at all the times. So he pressed his knuckles on her bud hard, sending shivers up her spine, and barked at her:

'Look at your Lord, bitch. Never turn your eyes from me. You must be punished for your disobedience.'

As soon as she heard him, Kagome opened her eyes and fixed them on his. Satisfied she submitted, he pressed his knuckles once more on her bud, this time even harder, starting to rub it in a circle-like motion. Kagome screamed his name in pleasure, and continuing rubbing her, he dipped his head and started licking at her entrance, shoving his skilful tongue inside of her. At the sudden intrusion, she screamed again his name, panting hard. He continued his ministrations and after a while he lifted his head from her womanhood and roughly pushed two fingers inside her, pumping in her, mindful to his claws. She was not to be wounded, of this he was determined.

Due to the fast pumping of his fingers and the ministrations of his knuckles on her bud, Kagome screamed his name once more:

'Sesshoumaru!!' she panted hard 'Please do it!' but he would not listen to her. Feeling her heat increasing and desperately wishing to find the release, she continued begging him and calling him on his name. He would not budge, though. As if he was expecting her to show her submission and it struck her. She lifted her head and locked gazes with him, whispering in a hoarse voice:

'My Lord and Master, please, I beg of you …'

Sesshoumaru grunted in approval at her calling him 'Master' and pulled his fingers out of her. He used his claws to rid himself of the once comforting but right at the moment constricting hakamas and, positioning in-between her thighs again, he plunged his hard member in her sheath with one swift movement. He allowed her a few moments to adjust to his length and started moving at a slow pace. But the tight of her walls around him drove him crazy and picked up his pace. He was pumping her mercilessly, arousing her even more and bringing her the release she begged for so much. Pumping one more time deeper than before, he touched the core of her being and Kagome came once more, this time Sesshoumaru finding his release and meeting her on the blissful plane of cloud nine.

Seeing he was satisfied and his bitch has submitted to him, Sesshoumaru let his Beast take control. This time, when he locked gazes with Kagome, his eyes were bleeding red, fangs and claws elongated by the surfacing of the Beast.

It pulled out of her in an instant and went to her bindings. It released her hands and barked roughly at her:

'Flip over, stand on you all-four.' As soon as she did what it told her, the Beast roughly pulled her wrists in the bindings, pushing her head down in the pillows. Her hands stretched not so comfortingly across the bed, the bindings tighter than before, her head in the soft pillows, she was kneeling on the mattress, her butt in the air. It grabbed her inner thighs and pulled them apart, almost sending her tumbling on the bed. Liking her in this position, the Beast mounted her from behind. She immediately lifted her head to lock her gaze with its, not knowing what it wanted to do to her, but the displeased growl of the Beast and its large hand pushed it back roughly in the pillows. It tipped her head to the left side, leaving her bare neck to its view and mercy.

Using the other hand the Beast spanked her hard on one of her butt's cheek in punishment. Kagome screamed as the sudden contact sent jolts of pleasure down her spine, pooling in her nether regions. Without further preparing her, the Beast plunged roughly and deep inside her. She gasped in the pillow at its sudden violence, but did not make any move to try and escape its hold. The Beast snarled in approval at her submission and continued pumping mindlessly into her, without giving her time to its length and hardness. It grabbed her by the hips, its claws digging in her soft flesh, keeping an iron hold on her, so she would not fall from the force of its attack on her.

With every move of the Beast inside her, her arousal grew and as soon as it bent over her and it grabbed her breasts, roughly squeezing them, pulling them, pinching the nipples, she came once more. But the Beast was far from its release, so it pulled out of her and barked in her ear:

'Do you submit totally, bitch?'

'I submit, My Lord.' Not liking her call it 'Lord', the Beast smacked the cheek of her butt once more, snarling at her:

'Who am I, bitch?'

'My Master.' Kagome said in a raspy voice. She was losing herself again in the pleasures of their mating, seeing how the head of its member was rubbing her womanhood.

'And what will the Master do to its bitch?'

'Anything and everything my Master wishes to do. I am wholly at your hands and mercy.'

Pleased by her answer, the Beast straightened once more and fiercely sheathed its member in the soft folds of her butt. Kagome's eyes snapped opened and gasped in surprise and pain all the while arching her back. She turned her eyes to the bloody red of the Beast.

'Bitch, you will submit to me.' it barked and brutally turned her head and pushed it in the pillows. Enraged that she defied it yet again, it punished her by violently driving into her; it didn't matter to the Beast if it pained her. But by the scent of her arousal, it knew she was pleased with its actions. It continued driving into her, from time to time pulling out fully just to slam back in her folds more powerful than before, until it felt its release close. It didn't know how many orgasms the bitch had during its untamed ministrations and pumping, but it was sure she had come more than once since it took control over Sesshoumaru.

When its release was close enough, the Beast pulled out of her ruthless and plummeted in her womanhood rather brutal. It started riding her as the bitch she was and as her body was wretched with yet another orgasm, its release came also. Kagome threw her head backwards, howling as its hot cum met hers and it met her with a howl of its own. After the howls died down, it bent down and dug its fangs deep in the juncture of her neck and shoulder. It started sucking her blood and after a moment, the Beast allowed Sesshoumaru to take control to partake in the marking. He brought a clawed finger up to her neck, allowing his poison to seep out and drew the shape of a crescent moon over the wound, allowing the poison to mingle with her blood. As soon as he was satisfied with his work, Sesshoumaru withdrew his claw and started licking her wound, to close it.

Satisfied with his bitch and his Beast's release in her, he unsheathed his member from her tight cavern. Not daring to do any move, Kagome remained in the same position, feeling him standing on his knees behind her. She did not know what was about to happen next, but she yearned to touch him and feel his hot skin under her fingers so much that the mere thought of him sent her high-wire again.

Sesshoumaru was standing behind her, looking at her prone position, feeling her arousal heightening but not daring to move. He was pleased she had totally submitted to them both. He knew that if she was to cross his Beast and challenge it, she would have been dead. He liked her in the position and had to agree with the Beast at the way it took her. It was more pleasurable for both of them. He left her behind and went to the bindings, untying her wrists. A part of the mating bond had been completed.

Feeling her wrists free again, Kagome stood on shaky hands, looking at him, asking him what was to happen next. He sat in the bed next to her and draped his unruly silver hair over his left shoulder, presenting her his bare neck, submitting to her. It was not as easy as he thought, but he had promised to allow her mark him, and he loved her too much not to do this for her. So he swallowed his pride and waited with his head tipped to his left, for her to move.

Understanding what he was doing, Kagome's eyes bulged, but she immediately took control over the situation. She delved down on his neck and started to kiss and lick and suck it hungrily. One of her hands flew to his bare chest, touching his flawless skin, and the other one she entwined in his silky hair. Still kissing his neck, Kagome pushed him gently on his back and as soon as he hit the mattress, his arms flew to her waist. She growled:

'Do not move. You are to obey your Bitch and Mistress.'

Sesshoumaru went slack under her, she already straddling his waist. He was not feeling comfortable in this position; he was actually finding it to be a vulnerable one. Without breaking the trail of hot kisses she was leaving in her way from his neck to his mouth, Kagome reached over and took each of his arms, tying them by the bed's posts. Sensing him stiffening against her, Kagome started to plant chaste kisses on his forehead, eyelids, cheeks and lips, all the while purring, soothing him. Seeing she did not choose to punish his disobedience, but rather to sooth him, he understood his mate will forever be by his side, protecting him with all her might whenever she thought it necessary.

Capturing his lips in a deep kiss, Kagome started grinding on the length of his member, touching him as light as she could, sending jolts of pleasure in his entire body. Nibbling his lower lip to allow her entrance, Kagome shoved her tongue in his mouth, pleased to notice he did not try to gain dominance over the kiss. She took her time exploring every inch of his warm and enchanting cavern. Kagome's moves started to be more demanding. She pressed hard on his loin, sending shivers of pain and pleasure up his spine. She left his mouth abruptly and traced a line to his ear lobe, kissing and sucking. From there she followed down the line of his neck, stopping for a longer moment at the spot she would place her mark, lavishing in his soft and sensitive skin.

When pleased with her doings, she placed butterfly kisses on his chest and started licking, sucking and nibbling his nipples each at a time. Satisfied with her work she continued down to his well chiseled abdomen and applied the same ministrations as to his chest. She scooted over from his loin with a press to his groin from the base to the head, and lowered her head to his nether regions, kissing, licking, sucking at the skin.

Once she reached his member, Kagome licked it on its entire length, locking her gaze with his, watching his reaction. He started whimpering and moaning for her to not tease him anymore and begging her to give him release. She put some more pressure in her licking and once she reached the head of his member, she closed her full, soft lips around it. Sesshoumaru lost it as her hot mouth engulfed as much as it could of his member and she started pumping slowly. As her pace picked up, Sesshoumaru was sent over the edge and came hard in her mouth. She stopped her ministrations and sucked and drank every bit of him. As his body was relaxing from the release, Kagome straightened and climbed his lap once more.

She captured his lips in another searing kiss, while grinding on his member once more. Releasing his lips, Kagome followed his jaw line to his earlobe. Licking the hollow of it, she felt him shudder under her. She smirked, pleased of his reaction to her ministrations, and continued licking him. With each shudder of his body, her Beast stirred more and more, until Kagome's eyes turned blood red and the Beast took control.

Its elongated fangs grazed the skin of his neck and its claws traveled down his body. Once they reached the base of his member, it took a grab of it and lifting its hips, the Beast positioned itself over its head.

'Show me you have submitted to me. Make me believe of your obedience.' it barked dangerously.

'I submit to you, my Lady, my Mistress and Bitch. You are my alpha and as such, you may do anything and everything with me.' Sesshoumaru said in a raspy voice.

Pleased at his total submission, and without waiting for anything else, it pushed itself down, sheathing him to his base. The Beast started at a slow pace but quickly enough it picked up to a maddening rhythm. Kissing and licking his neck and chest while pumping on him, the Beast felt their release approaching and they exploded at the same time, releasing howls of fulfillment.

As soon as the noise died down, the Beast dived its head down to Sesshoumaru's neck and bit hard, sucking his blood, marking him. As it satisfied itself, Kagome regained the control and with a poisonous claw drew the shape of a crescent moon on his skin, over the fangs' wounds. She took care that the marking would be mirror-angled than the one he had on his forehead and as soon as she finished she licked the wound closed.

She climbed off his lap and undid the ties around his wrists.

'Who do you belong to, Sesshoumaru?'

'I am all yours, Kagome, my Bitch, my Mistress, my Mate, to do what you want to me. What do you please from this Sesshoumaru?'

'Submit your Mistress; make her your equal during the night as she is your equal during the day.' Kagome said in a hoarse tone.

Hearing her words, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in surprise. He would never expect from her to hear such words. Not to ask him to submit her. Never in his life since he knew her did he think she will ask that of him. Coming out of his stupor, he immediately flipped her down, laying her on her back and started to kiss her sensually. This time she was able to touch him and he welcomed her roaming hands and lips, her soft but hungry touch.

As the night drew to an end, the castle's silence was shattered for the third time by the powerful howls of two Inu youkai. Standing on top of her and waiting for the waves of their releases to wash over their bodies, Sesshoumaru looked at her and growled:

'My mate.' To which Kagome answered back

'Your mate. And you are mine also.'

'Yours I am now and forever.' With that, Sesshoumaru pulled out of her and laid on the bed next to Kagome, cradling her at his chest in his strong arms.

**_End of lemon_**

* * *

They fell asleep almost instantly. As soon as they were soundlessly sleeping, the two markings on their chests shone brightly and their powers burst forth. Sesshoumaru's jaki engulfed Kagome's body, and Kagome's jaki and purifying aura enveloped his. They receded a few moments later, signifying the finishing of the mating bond. 

The droplet-like markings on both their faces disappeared as the mating bond was ended. They slept for a few hours and woke up before the pups did. They went to the bathing area and bathed each other, taking care to caress every inch of the other's skin. Kissing passionately they exited the hot spring and towel dried their body and hair and went back in the chamber. They dressed, Kagome opting for a beautiful lavender kimono with a silver obi and Sesshoumaru white hakamas and haori with lavender swirls and a silver sash.

They went down to the dinning room and upon entering the other Lords and Ladies stood from their sitting positions. They all had knowing smirks plastered on their faces.

'Good morning Lord and Lady of the Western Lands' they all greeted them. After all it was the tradition that all the Lords and Ladies greet the newly mated Lord and Lady.

'Good morning.' they said, Kagome sporting a full smile, while Sesshoumaru's face was emotionless.

'How was your night?' Amarante asked, smirking at the deep blush on Kagome's face. 'We did not have a good night. We were quite often disturbed by howls and screams.' She added.

Kagome's eyes widened in embarrassment and her blush deepened so much they were about to ask her if she was feeling well. She turned her eyes to Sesshoumaru, telling him with her gaze she had forgotten to erect the soundproof barrier around their room last night.

'I see you have allowed Kagome to mark you, Sesshoumaru.' Hinode said, trying to change the subject of the conversation.

'Hai Hinode. I have told Kagome I would wear it proudly.' Sesshoumaru answered and enveloped his mate in his strong arms. 'Come mate, we will eat. You would need nourishing; after all you are more than likely to be with pup.' Kagome allowed her mate to guide her to the table and sat down at his right side. As soon as they were seated, servants entered the room and brought their dish of raw meet. When they were done, they both stood and went to the pups' rooms, to call them to breakfast. They were greeted by the same manner, and then the two of them rushed in Kagome's arms:

'Okaa-san' they both cried and kissed her on her cheeks. 'Otou-san' they added after that, both standing in front of him, bowing slightly. Sesshoumaru patted each of their heads and nodded his head in greeting.

'Come, we will spend the morning together.' Sesshoumaru spoke to the pups.

They hurried to their dressers and the two adults exited to allow them some privacy. As soon as the pups finished their breakfast, they rushed out towards the gardens, where they were sure to find the newly mated couple.

They were starting the third day of their mating ceremony. This day was the day of future. They were to act as they wished and hoped they would be in future.

'Sesshoumaru, were you serious about me being with pup?' Kagome asked as they were watching the two pups playing around. The Lords and Ladies were seated a few feet away, watching them.

'It is a huge possibility after our mating last night. We will know for sure in seven sunrises.'

Kagome turned her full gaze to him, a hopeful look in her eyes. 'I would like that, to carry your pup and start our new family.'

Sesshoumaru turned to her and kissed her gently on the lips. 'Thank you, precious one.'

They spent the morning with Shippou and Rin, playing with them, Kagome even telling them stories, as a family should do. When launch time came and the two kitsune went inside, they parted their ways. Kagome went with them, followed by the Lords and Ladies as custom was and Sesshoumaru went to his study to take care of his Lands. A few hours later, Kagome knocked at the door and when she heard him calling her in, she entered. She left the door opened for the others to follow and she spoke:

'I have come to see if you would like my help.' She said shyly.

'Of course, mate. Come here.' He beckoned to a pillow next to him for her to sit on. 'Here, read this and answer them. If you think any of them is important, just put it aside and I will read them when I finish with the others I have to deal with.' Kagome scooted over and took the scrolls from his hand, her fingers lingering on his for a few moments. She took a brush and ink and started reading and responding to the issues. They were mainly requests of help from different villages, so she did her best to answer properly.

'When you finish, sign them with your name and use this' he stopped and gave her a ring with a seal of a black Inu on it 'to seal the scroll. I had it made for you especially, since you are the Lady of the West.'

'Thank you. Sesshoumaru, do you not think it would be better if you would look upon my answers to make sure I did well and I did not screw things up?'

'Iie, little one. I trust you and your judgment.'

The hours past with them reading and writing and soon they were invited to dinner. They all gathered in the dinning room and waited for the food to be brought. After eating they went each to their rooms.

Sesshoumaru and Kagome went with their pups and tucked them in and then turned towards the western wing of the palace. As soon as they were in front of the room, Sesshoumaru gathered Kagome in his arms and entered, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

It was the last night of the mating ceremony and this time, Kagome did not forget to erect the soundproof barrier.

* * *

**_A.N. : Well this is it, my last chapter guys. I cannot believe I have finally finished one of my longer projects ... now on to 'Fulfilling Destiny', my other Kagome/Sesshoumaru story. If you wish to read something different, just check my profile for this story. _**

**_Thanks for being with me all this time and encouraging me with your words. Please let a farewell review and tell me what you think about the last chapter [ohhh ... and be gentle about the lemon ... it is the first time when I write one ;)_**

**_Ja ne._**

**_sayuri_**


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